Balancing Career & Family: How Can We Better Balance Career, Child Care & Family? Career Expert Q&A Parenting Fatherhood

Q: "Like so many parents during the pandemic, child care is a huge issue for me. I'm struggling to balance my career and family more than ever before, and sometimes I feel like I'm drowning. Any suggestions?"

A. The old 9-to-5 work paradigm has been largely swept into the dustbin of history. The pandemic, which prominently featured the pattering of pajama-clad children in the background of Zoom calls, transformed the way we work and live. Obviously, there are still onsite essential jobs. But, increasingly, the line between work and family has blurred.

Work-life integration provides flexibility, but also requires some boundary setting. Just because you’re “around” doesn’t mean you can just drop everything at any time and run the kids crosstown. If you have regular child care, then establish clear boundaries that allow you to do your work during those hours. And, on the flip side, make sure you also set aside time to power down the phone and be present for your family.

Lastly, make sure you offer yourself a little grace. There’s no playbook for raising kids and working fulltime during a pandemic. You’re not alone. 

We get lots of great questions from our community members, and we have lots of great experts to provide answers. Have a question? Send it to us at info@30seconds.com and we'll do our best to get it answered for you! 

Note: 30Seconds is a participant in the Amazon affiliate advertising program and this post contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission or fees if you make a purchase via those links. 

Take 30 seconds and join the 30Seconds community, and follow us on Facebook to get inspiration in your newsfeed daily. Inspire and be inspired.