Work - life balance

Anonymous

April 5,2022 at 3:38AM UTC

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Work - life balance

After going back to school later in life, and after having had a baby, I returned to work with an entry-level position that was much below my qualifications. Less than a year later, I find myself struggling to keep up with the work-life balance, especially given that I have to be at work 9 hrs a day, which means more than 10 hours out of home on a daily basis.

I talked to my boss about it, and he didn't seem to be willing to do much about it. At the same time, I have started looking around for a remote/part-time position, and while I am having some good leads and interviews, I am afraid that I will end up in a similar dead end. I want to be a working mom, but with a better work-life balance.

I am feeling stressed and overwhelmed. Any advice?

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RachelApril 5,2022 at 5:27AM UTC
I actually was on the other side of this very recently, hiring a mother onto the team, after taking many years away from the workforce to focus on parenting.
I think a part-time or remote role is definitely an advantage, however, the type of role or hours might not be the problem - it's probably the leadership/company culture. I don't know your current company, but in my opinion, a good manager would make accommodations for those already on the team, and offer you some flexibility, reduction of hours, or a part-time option for your current responsibilities. Yes, it might not be ideal if you are a very sleek team, but losing good talent, relevant company exposure, and the time it takes to ramp up a completely new person is also not ideal.
As you consider your next role, I would say take your time to really research the company, and during your interviews, really screen the team and the management. If you are able to find a gender-balanced culture, where work-life balance is important to them, you can speak to this being a key reason you are looking for a new position. If not clear on that, I would prepare questions about how the company handles feedback, team bandwidth or delegation of responsibilities, and their focus on supporting their staff.
Just know it does exist - good luck with your hunt!
AnonymousApril 7,2022 at 1:28PM UTC
I don't think remote or part-time are you only options unless you want to work less than 40 hours a week. I think its also about finding the right company that respects work-life balance which of course isn't always easy.
Part-time work can sometimes mean odd hours of the day and not always during that 8-5 window. You could end up working 4pm - 8pm.
Most full time jobs though also are 8-5 (or some 9 hour window) now because they don't pay for your lunch hour. So you are at the office 9 hours but working 8 hours. Find a company that has working hours that work for you. Make sure to ask what the typical working hours are in an interview. That's a totally normal question to ask. You can also ask are there instances where you may have to work outside your normal working hours. For example, I have events sometimes I have to attend outside of my normal working hours but its maybe 6 times a year.