Carole entered our coaching meeting looking especially frustrated. As an IT leader at her company, she was under constant time pressure, and her week had gotten off to a stressful start. “I move mountains to wrap up work early on Tuesdays to get to my teen daughter’s soccer practice, only to feel like she doesn’t even care I’m there! I don’t know what to do. Sometimes, if I don’t go, I feel guilty. When I do make the time, I feel underappreciated. It’s a no-win situation.” This mounting frustration, she shared, had left her distracted and less engaged over the following two days, both at home and at work.
Are You Spending Your Parenting Time and Energy Wisely?
As you manage work and home, with your time always squeezed, how can you ensure that you are spending your parenting time and energy in the right ways, especially as your children age, change, and need different things? Spending more time on activities where you have high contribution (what your children value the most from you) and passion (what gives you the most motivation and inspiration) will help you make the best use of your limited time and energy. Once you’ve identified activities that are high in contribution and passion, use your calendar to carve out time for them and protect them. As time passes, it is important to stay in active conversation with your kids to keep them involved and adapt to changes in what they value from you. Adopting this approach can increase your fulfillment at work and help maintain meaningful relationships with your kids as they grow up.