Working Sandwich Generation Women Utilize Strategies within and between Roles to Achieve Role Balance

PLoS One. 2016 Jun 15;11(6):e0157469. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0157469. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Increasingly, women simultaneously balance the roles of mother, parental carer and worker. However, individual role balance strategies among these working 'sandwich' generation women have not been thoroughly explored. Eighteen women combining these three roles were interviewed about their individual role balance strategies. Findings were identified through the framework analysis technique, underpinned by the Model of Juggling Occupations. Achieving and maintaining role balance was explained as a complex process accomplished through a range of strategies. Findings revealed the women used six within-role balance strategies: living with integrity, being the best you can, doing what you love, loving what you do, remembering why and searching for signs of success. The women also described six between-role balance strategies: maintaining health and wellbeing, repressing perfectionism, managing time and energy, releasing responsibility, nurturing social connection and reciprocating. These findings provide a basis for health care providers to understand and potentially support working 'sandwich' generation women.

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological
  • Adult*
  • Career Choice
  • Female
  • Health Status
  • Humans
  • Interviews as Topic
  • Job Satisfaction
  • Middle Aged
  • Mothers*
  • Occupations*
  • Parenting / psychology
  • Professional Role
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Stress, Psychological / psychology
  • Time Management / psychology
  • Women, Working / psychology*
  • Workload*

Grants and funding

This study was undertaken as the first author’s partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctorate of Philosophy at Edith Cowan University, for which financial support in the form of a scholarship was received. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.