Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Episode 31: How to Balance Work, Family, and Caregiving
3 Plays23 days ago
Welcome back to The Aging Parent Playbook! I’m Dr. Barbara Sparacino—psychiatrist, coach, and sandwich generation survivor. If you’ve ever missed a work meeting for a parent’s doctor’s appointment or felt torn between your kids and your caregiving duties—you’re not alone.
In this episode, we’re diving deep into why balance feels so impossible for caregivers… and what to do about it. You’ll learn how to:
✅ Prioritize your time without guilt
✅ Create a flexible, realistic schedule
✅ Ask for help—and actually get it
Whether you're feeling overwhelmed or just trying to stay ahead of burnout, this episode offers practical, compassionate tools to help you protect your energy and care for everyone—including yourself.
📌 What We Cover:
– The real reason caregiving balance feels impossible
– Time-blocking tips for work, caregiving, and family
– Delegation and workplace strategies
– How to ask for help without guilt
– Why your needs still matter (yes, really!)
You don’t need to be perfect—you just need a plan. Let’s build it together.
🌐 Need more tools and support? Visit: www.theagingparentcoach.com
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction by Dr. Sparacino
00:00:01
Speaker
Welcome back to the aging parent playbook. I'm Dr. Barbara Sparacino, psychiatrist, coach, and fellow member of the sandwich generation, where we're somehow expected to be good at our jobs, good to our kids, good to our aging parents all at the same time.
00:00:17
Speaker
If you're listening today, chances are you're doing your best to keep all those balls in the air.
The Guilt of Balancing Responsibilities
00:00:22
Speaker
But let's be honest, it can feel like no matter how hard you try, someone's getting shortchanged.
00:00:28
Speaker
Whether it's missing a work deadline because of a doctor's appointment for your mom or feeling guilty for zoning out during your kid's recital because you were worried about your dad's medication or neglecting your own needs, again, because there's just no time left.
Prioritizing Oneself and Asking for Help
00:00:45
Speaker
You're not alone. In today's episode, I'm going to help you prioritize yourself and prioritize your time without guilt, create a realistic schedule that actually works,
00:00:58
Speaker
ask for help and actually get it. So let's dive in.
Challenges of Work, Family, and Caregiving
00:01:04
Speaker
Why does balance feel impossible? Look, let's start with the big picture.
00:01:08
Speaker
Why does it balance feel so out of reach? When you're a caregiver, you're constantly pulled in three demanding directions.
00:01:18
Speaker
Work. You still have a job to do. A job with meetings, deadlines and people counting on you. But when a caregiving emergency pops up, everything gets derailed.
00:01:30
Speaker
Family. You might be raising kids, managing a household, maintaining a relationship, or all three. These roles also require your emotional presence, not just your time.
00:01:44
Speaker
And caregiving. You're also managing medical appointments, transportation, medications, paperwork, finances, and your parents' emotional needs too. That's three full-time roles and the expectation expectation, internal or external, is that you do them all flawlessly.
00:02:03
Speaker
So what happens? You start to burn out. You feel like you're failing everyone. And let's not even talk about your own needs because they don't even make it to the to-do list.
Defining Balance and Sustainability
00:02:13
Speaker
But here's the truth I need you to hear today.
00:02:17
Speaker
Balance is not about doing it all. It's about doing what matters most in a way that is sustainable You don't need to be perfect. You need a plan.
Strategies for Achieving Balance
00:02:31
Speaker
Strategies for finding balance. Let's talk strategy. Because once you have a few concrete tools, that constant overwhelm starts to kind of loosen its grip.
00:02:43
Speaker
Here are three standard strategies that have helped my clients and me find more balance. Time block your schedule. Carve out dedicated time for caregiving, work, and family.
00:02:55
Speaker
Even if your schedule changes often, just having clear bar blocks where each area gets to your attention can help you feel less scattered. like Try block mornings for focus work, mid-afternoons for caregiving tasks, calls, paperwork, check-ins, evenings for family connection.
00:03:16
Speaker
Of course, it won't be perfect. Emergencies will pop up, but having a baseline structure lets you recalibrate faster when things go sideways. Use workplace resources.
00:03:28
Speaker
If you work for a company with more than 50 employees, you may be eligible for FMLA, family medical leave. Even without formal leave, HR may might offer you hybrid schedules, PTO, or informal accommodations.
00:03:43
Speaker
Delicate caregiving tasks. Repeat after me. You don't have to do it all yourself. List what only you can do and what someone else can do.
00:03:54
Speaker
Could your sibling handle bills? A neighbor for help with rides? A homemade visit twice a week? It's not shirking responsibility, it's preserving your energy.
Seeking Help and Prioritizing Self-care
00:04:06
Speaker
Asking for help without guilt. Now let's talk about the hardest part for many of us, asking for help. So often caregivers ah don't ask because we feel guilty.
00:04:17
Speaker
We think other how people have it worse, or this is my job, or i don't wanna be a burden. But when we don't ask, we isolate. And when we isolate, we burn out.
00:04:31
Speaker
Here are a few ways to ask more effectively. Be specific. Instead of saying, i need help, try, can you pick up mom's prescriptions on Wednesday?
00:04:45
Speaker
Would you sit with dad so I can go get a haircut?
00:04:50
Speaker
Outsource when possible. Meal deliveries, respite care, even a virtual assistant for paperwork. Your time is valuable. Outsourcing isn't indulgent, it's strategic.
00:05:05
Speaker
Give yourself grace. Look, you're human. Caregiving is a marathon. It's okay to take breaks. It's okay to not do it all. It's okay to prioritize your wellbeing.
Aligning with Personal Values
00:05:20
Speaker
Balancing caregiving, work and family isn't about getting it perfect. It's about staying aligned with your values, asking for support and protecting your energy for what matters most.
00:05:33
Speaker
You're not failing. You are adapting. You are doing your best in an impossible situation. And with a few small shifts, it does get easier.
Conclusion and Call to Action
00:05:42
Speaker
If this episode helped you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it.
00:05:48
Speaker
And for more caregiver tools and real life support, visit my website, www.theagingparentcoach.com. I'm Dr. Barbara Sparacino, and I'll see you next time on the Aging Parent Playbook.
00:06:02
Speaker
Take care.