How Therapy Can Help Women Balance Career, Family, and Self-Care
Written by Cassandra Curado
As women, we are faced with unique challenges. Between your career and family responsibilities it can seem nearly impossible to still have time for yourself at the end of the day. Through all the expectations and responsibilities women manage, there’s no wonder you’re often left feeling exhausted and burnt out. This blog post will share insights on how therapy can offer you tools to manage your stress, learn to set boundaries and practice self-care as you create a work-life balance that’s effective for you.
Does the ‘Perfect’ Work-Life Balance Exist?
Have you been feeling overwhelmed by the different roles and responsibilities you have as a woman? Do you find it hard to say no to people or opportunities? Do you feel the urge to advance your career, but feel conflicted to focus on your family instead? Chances are you’ve battled with the challenges that come with trying to balance your family, work and personal life, as this is a common struggle for many.
Have you ever come home from a long day of work and all you wanted to do was decompress and take a moment for yourself? But wait, you can’t…because now it’s time to clock in for your second shift. Now you have to make dinner, clean, help your kids with homework, make everyone’s lunches, and get your family ready for bed. By the end of your endless list of tasks you’re completely drained as you simply collapse into your bed to sleep and get ready to start the whole process over again tomorrow. As a woman there’s often an extra burden placed on you as you’re expected to be able to do it all; you’re the organizer, the planner, the emotional support worker and the caregiver. In many ways it can feel as though you’re the glue holding your family, friends and workplace together, which can be a rewarding feeling, yet in the same sense is very exhausting and lonely.
With social media nowadays we see it everywhere as lifestyle influencers post these picture-perfect moments, aesthetically colour-coated calendars, and 15-step skin care routines. When in reality often the most challenging part of your day is taking a moment for yourself. Of course, the spa-like nightly skincare routine is the dream, but often it can be a miracle if you even have the time or energy to wash your face before going to sleep. So this begs the question, can a perfect work-life balance exist?
To be quite blunt, a PERFECT 50-50 work-life balance will never exist, and that’s okay. There will be moments in your life where your education, career, family, friends or personal goals will require more of your effort and time. Regardless of where your roles take you, it’s just as important to take care of yourself and what you need. As women, it’s very common to fall trap to those people-pleasing tendencies as you struggle to say no and set the necessary boundaries to take care of your own needs and goals. Oftentimes the key to a healthy work-life balance is managing your responsibilities in a way that ensures you can give yourself the time to recharge. When you’re constantly on the go, it can feel so daunting to make your personal time a priority; however, without this time for yourself you are more likely to burnout as you put the needs of others before your own.
How Therapy Can Help You
Therapy is more than a space to just talk to someone. Therapy can give you the opportunity to work with a professional as they provide you with helpful tools to manage stress, set boundaries and practice self-care. At The Relationship Agency our team of well-trained therapists are here for you and want to help you thrive. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, our therapist for women in Oshawa can help you regain balance. Contact us today for more information or book a free consultation.
Manage Stress
Stress, we’ve all felt it, and oftentimes we try to minimize how overwhelming recurring stress can feel because of how normalized it’s become. Stress impacts your entire body, including your physical, mental and emotional health, making it so important to address sooner than later. Through therapy, your therapist can help you gain self-awareness and identify solutions that work for you. As you gain these insights within therapy you can feel better equipped to solve any future problems through the prevention strategies and healthy coping skills you’ve identified.
2. Set Boundaries
Setting boundaries can feel really intimidating. It involves finally learning to say a firm no. It involves you defining your limits, what’s acceptable, and advocating for your needs in your relationships. However, setting a boundary is more than just saying it out loud. Setting a boundary also involves putting those words into action, because a boundary with no follow through is merely a suggestion. Within therapy, you can learn more about what your boundaries are, and then how to communicate and enforce your boundaries to help regain the balance in your life.
3. Practice Self-Care
The term ‘self-care’ has become such a recent buzz word, but what does it actually mean and how can you ensure you’re practicing enough self-care? Self-care can look very different for everyone, and involves any activities that can help you support your physical, emotional and mental health. This could involve going for a walk each day, taking the time to read a chapter of your book, having a relaxing bath or uninterrupted time to watch your favourite TV show. Interestingly enough, practicing self-care involves setting boundaries. It involves you establishing a time in your schedule and saying this time is for me and only me.
Practicing self-care is not you being selfish, but rather your opportunity to support yourself and recharge. For instance, going to therapy could be your form of self-care where you can feel the support you need to re-energize and learn about tools to help you towards gaining the work-life balance you want. At The Relationship Agency we offer a variety of services, some of which include women’s therapy, individual relationship therapy, anxiety therapy, and caregiving therapy. Take a look at our services today to see which form best fits your needs and goals. We’re here for you and are ready to give you the support you deserve.
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