How can I better Balance my Career with my Parenting Role?

Have you ever rushed home from a highly stressful day at work, only to find yourself snapping at your kids, drowning in guilt as you juggle the demands of your corporate career with parenthood? This is something that is topical in my coaching sessions of late, especially as a return to the office, at least a couple of days per week, is part and parcel of many senior corporate roles. Women are particularly prone to suffering from ‘human giver syndrome’, where we feel we need to give, give, give, and when we are not being all things to all people, the guilt creeps in, fuelling feelings of self-doubt and negatively impacting performance in all areas of life.

If this resonates, here are a few simple but effective strategies to work on.

Recognise Your Triggers: Where is the Stress Coming From?

Snapping at home is a natural reaction when arriving in a fight-or-flight state. The brain perceives stress as a potential threat, activating the nervous system, which can make emotional regulation far more difficult. Studies show that when the brain is in a heightened stress response, cognitive function can drop by up to 75%, making it harder to communicate calmly and problem-solve effectively.

📝 Try this: Pay attention to patterns. Are certain days, meetings or interactions more likely to trigger stress? Identifying these triggers allows you to plan ahead and regain control over your emotional responses rather than feeling hijacked by them.

Create a ‘Work-to-Home’ Transition Ritual

Switching from work mode to parent mode is not instant. If there is no mental buffer between the two, the stress lingers and spills over into family interactions. Neuroscience research suggests that our brains need a transition period between different roles, as shifting cognitive tasks requires both time and intentional action.

🌿 Try this: Introduce a five-minute transition ritual before stepping into family time. This could be:

✔️ A brisk walk after work

✔️ A short meditation or deep breathing exercise

✔️ Listening to music or a podcast that helps reset your mind

✔️ Changing into comfortable clothes as a signal that work is over

These small adjustments help reset the nervous system, allowing you to arrive home in a calmer, more present state.

Set and Protect Your Work-Life Boundaries

One of the biggest challenges for working parents is that work does not always stay at work. The urge to check emails late at night or finish one last task can blur the line between professional and personal time. Over time, this leads to chronic stress and burnout.

📵 Try this:

✔️ Physically separate work and home by closing your laptop and silencing notifications.

✔️ Establish tech-free times, such as during dinner or bedtime routines.

✔️ Communicate clear boundaries with colleagues, setting expectations around response times.

Creating these boundaries allows for true work-life balance, ensuring that family time is fully present and undistracted.

Be Open About Stress and Model Healthy Emotional Regulation

Children are highly attuned to tone of voice, facial expressions and energy levels. If stress is not acknowledged, it can create an unspoken tension in the home. Research in child psychology suggests that when parents verbalise emotions in a calm manner, it teaches children how to regulate their own emotions effectively.

👩‍👧 Try this: Next time stress levels rise, acknowledge them with a simple statement:

🗣️ “Today was a busy day at work, and I need a few minutes to reset before we chat.”

One of the most effective techniques I have used is the ‘Green Zone / Red Zone’ approach. Green Zone represents a calm and engaged state, while Red Zone signals the need for space to decompress. This approach not only helps with self-awareness but also provides a shared language for emotional regulation at home.

Embrace imperfection

Perfectionism is one of the biggest barriers to achieving true work-life balance. Many professionals hold themselves to impossibly high standards, striving to be top performers at work, fully present parents, supportive partners and still maintain self-care. Unrealistic expectations often result in self-criticism and burnout.

🌱 Try this:

✔️ When things do not go as planned, reframe the situation by asking, “What did I learn?” instead of “Why did I fail?”

✔️ Let go of all-or-nothing thinking. A short, present interaction is more valuable than prolonged but distracted time.

✔️ Recognise that children benefit more from emotionally available parents than from perfect ones.

Research in developmental psychology highlights that children do not need perfect parents but attuned ones. They thrive when they experience genuine connection, even if it is in small moments rather than extended periods of time.

Balance is a Work in Progress

Achieving work-life balance is not about perfection but about progress. Small, intentional shifts in self-awareness, transition routines and boundary-setting can make a significant impact on stress levels and emotional well-being.

✨ If you are struggling with work-life balance and want to feel more in control, confident and present, I would love to help.

👉 Book a complimentary discovery call here. Let’s create a work-life balance that actually works for you. here