4-2 Activity Critical Analysis Reimagine

Running Head: WORK-LIFE f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f 1

4-2 Activity: Critical Analysis: Reimagine

IDS 402

SNHU

July 24,2022

WORK-LIFE f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f 2

Maintaining a proper work-life balance is imperative for all professionals, especially working

parents. Factors like high work pressure, technological advancement and globalization have led to

an imbalance in the personal and professional lives of individuals (Pahuja, 2017). The complexities

for working parents get further magnified since they have an extra responsibility towards their

children. Chen has argued that working parents can face immense stress in striking a balance

between their family and work (Chen et al., 2022). It can lead to adverse outcomes such as a decline

in family satisfaction, deteriorated physical and psychological health outcomes and poor

performance at work. The challenge that working mothers may face owing to poor work-life

balance is likely to be higher as compared to working fathers since mothers are considered to be the

primary carers of their children (Moriwaki et al., 2022).

Factors that could impact the wellness topic

A number of factors may come into play and have a significant impact on the wellness

topic, relating to work-life balance among working parents. One of the chief factors that have the

potential to impact society’s engagement with the subject matter is the biased behavior about

gender roles. According to the social role theory, the main role that women are expected to play is

that of a principal caretaker role, and they are expected to take care of routine domestic work. On

the other hand, men are expected to act as the breadwinners of the family (Hentschel et al., 2019).

On the basis of gender stereotyping, if women decide to enter a profession, they are expected to take

care of their family life and their professional lives. The case is no different for working mothers

because they are expected to take care of their responsibilities as a wife, a mother and a professional

by striking a balance between these roles. Such a form of bias increases work-life balance

complexities for working mothers as compared to working fathers.

Another factor that might impact the wellness topic is social values. Such values

fundamentally are the key principles that are morally acceptable in society. Values such as

education, individual rights and honesty might influence how people perceive the work-life

balance issue among working parents (Council, 2003). For instance, a person with a limited

education background might fail to understand how adverse work-life balance may impact family

life and relationship with children. f

Potential obstacle that could interfere with working parents’ engagement with the topic

A major obstacle that could arise and interfere with working parents’ engagement with the

work-life balance topic is the unavailability of time. In the prevailing globalized era, the degree of

competition has intensified significantly. Its impact can be felt in the labor market. The high

pressure to survive and sustain in the professional setting has diminished the time that people have

for themselves. Thus, the time factor could act as a major obstacle that could deter working parents

from engaging with the topic and understanding its consequences. Rose has identified time

pressure as a major deterring factor for working parents, especially working mothers (Rose, 2017).

Recommended strategies

The critical analysis of the wellness topic has helped in developing vital skills that can help

in the achievement of both personal and professional goals. Some of the skills include problem-

solving skills and analytical thinking. Such skills can help to address the work-life balance issue by

exploring it in an in-depth manner.

References

Council, N. C. (2003). NICE Citizens Council Report on Age [Internet].

Chen, Q., Chen, M., Lo, C. K. M., Chan, K. L., & Ip, P. (2022). Stress in Balancing Work and

Family among Working Parents in Hong Kong. International Journal of Environmental

Research and Public Health, 19(9), 5589.

Hentschel, T., Heilman, M. E., & Peus, C. V. (2019). The multiple dimensions of gender

stereotypes: A current look at men’s and women’s characterizations of others and

themselves. Frontiers in psychology, 10, 11.

Moriwaki, M., Yuasa, H., Kakehashi, M., Suzuki, H., & Kobayashi, Y. (2022). Impact of social

support for mothers as caregivers of cerebral palsy children in Japan. Journal of Pediatric

Nursing, 63, e64-e71.

Pahuja, S. (2017). A study on work life balance of working parents in educational sector. Asian

Journal of Management, 8(1), 25-29.

Rose, J. (2017). “Never enough hours in the day”: Employed mothers’ perceptions of time

pressure. Australian Journal of Social Issues, 52(2), 116-130.

4-2 Activity Critical Analysis Reimagine

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