How working women can manage work-life balance

Workplaces often place a disproportionate burden on female workers. That includes workloads as well as emotional and relational labor within the workplace. 

Historically, women have also been responsible for most of the work at home. In the 1960s, White women began entering the workforce. It is important to acknowledge women of color, particularly Black and Latina women, working in the homes of White families allowed White women to enter the workforce.

Currently, women of all racial backgrounds are in the workforce. However, this has increased responsibilities for women—both working professionally and still largely carrying the burden of work in the home. These dual responsibilities can increase stress, compromise physical and emotional health, and lead to burnout and lower work productivity.

[Related: 5 ways to improve employee mental health]

Employers should make efforts to transform the workplace structures and policies to better support women’s contributions.

Working women are encouraged to recognize that the perfect balance between work and home life is an unattainable myth. Instead, consider work among the multiple life roles that you manage along with other roles. Each role may require more effort/time than others across the course of the year and throughout your life. Seek help from others in your work and life environments to share the load. Prioritizing your roles can help you decide how best to manage your time across your various roles and responsibilities.

Each will depend on your personal situation, context, and preferences.

Adapt your attitude

• Acknowledge your feelings—positive, negative, and neutral—they are all valid and need to be expressed.
• Lower your expectations—“Perfection” does not exist, and it is okay if you are not as productive as you think you should be. Be okay with doing your best with the resources you have.
• Practice self-compassion (e.g., “I made a mistake, but I’m human, and making mistakes is okay”).

Engage in self-care

• Establish boundaries so that you are not taking on extra burdens.
• Prioritize a relaxation or self-care activity as you are able—taking care of yourself will help you function best in your roles.
• Participate in teletherapy if desired and available.

Become more organized

• Create a structured but flexible schedule.
• Establish dedicated spaces for certain activities (i.e., work, play).
• Simplify your task list into what is the highest priority, allowing for flexibility.
• Delegate some tasks to others with clear expectations, as applicable.

Stay connected

• Evaluate who you want to invest your energy in and what formats of connection (e.g., Facetime, social media) are most rewarding for you.
• Have a weekly check-in meeting with a friend or family member who is experiencing similar challenges at home.

If you have children, involve them in your planning

• Create a structured but flexible schedule and allow your children to make choices about that structure so they have buy-in.
• Have children Facetime family members and play games like Charades, Pictionary, etc.
• Set them up with a task like a jigsaw puzzle and set a timer for them—if they do not interrupt you until the timer goes off, then they may get a small reward.
• Give them two–three task options and let them choose which one they want to do. This gives them some autonomy.