What Are the Best Flexible Work Arrangements for Parents Seeking More Work Life Balance?

Are you struggling to keep your work life from overtaking family time?

I completely get it. As a parent, balancing a career and raising kids often feels conflicted. I've spent years working closely with busy, working parents, and I've seen firsthand that flexibility at work is more than a perk, it’s a necessity. Flexibility is the key to work-life balance because it allows individuals to tailor their schedules around personal priorities, reducing stress and burnout. Even if it sometimes means working MORE total hours, the ability to choose when and how to work leads to greater productivity and satisfaction. By adapting to life's demands (whether family, health, or personal growth) flexibility ensures that work enhances life rather than overwhelms it.

So, what are the best ways to achieve that ideal work life balance, which ultimately only you can define? Here are the flexible work arrangements I recommend most.

Remote Work can be a Lifesaver

Remote work can genuinely transform your family life. Personally, I've found that parents who shift to a remote setup suddenly get back precious hours lost to commuting. Those extra hours can mean attending soccer games, doctor's appointments, or simply spending quality time at dinner. In conversations with other parents, this arrangement is consistently praised as a huge stress reliever. As cognitive therapists, Dr. Ellen Reed and I strongly advocate remote arrangements for parents whenever possible.

But to make remote work successful, it's crucial to have clear boundaries. Creating a dedicated workspace at home is essential, of course this depends on your resources that allow for such luxury. It helps mentally separate work and home responsibilities. If you're struggling to get started, using tools like a time blocking schedule might change your entire perspective on productivity.

The dark side of remote work? Working remotely as a parent often blurs the boundaries between work and family life, making it difficult to fully focus on either and leading to increased stress and frequent interruptions from children throughout the day. Many parents end up working unconventional hours, like early mornings, late nights, or in fragmented shifts to juggle professional responsibilities and childcare, which can result in exhaustion and lower psychological well-being. The lack of physical separation between work and home can also lead to working more hours than you would in the office, feelings of isolation, resentment over unequal division of household labor, and diminished opportunities for personal downtime or social interaction outside the family. Over time, these challenges can spill over into harsher parenting, strained relationships, and reduced job and family satisfaction, especially when reliable childcare is unavailable or unaffordable.

Flexible Hours Can Impact Mental, Emotional and Physical Health

One parent I recently worked with shifted to flexible hours and immediately saw their stress levels drop. Imagine being able to pause work at 3 PM to pick up your child from school, then resume your workday once they're settled at home. Flexibility around school hours is one of the simplest ways workplaces can support working parents. Trust me, your mental health will thank you.

Research highlights how beneficial flexible scheduling can be for parents' emotional well-being. Here's an excellent overview of how important family-friendly workplace policies really are. But as mentioned above, fully remote work has its downsides as well. Hybrid work is a flexible work model where employees split their time between working on-site at an office and working remotely (e.g., from home). For working parents, an ideal balance is often about two days in person and three days remote each week, giving enough in‑office collaboration while preserving flexibility for caregiving and school schedules.

Part-Time or Job-Sharing Roles

Have you considered part-time roles or job-sharing positions? These arrangements allow parents the freedom to manage childcare needs without stepping back entirely from professional goals. Recently, Dr. Ellen Reed shared with me how rewarding job-sharing arrangements have been for some of her clients, especially for single parents or those with younger children. When approaching employers about job sharing, frame the conversation around mutual benefits (such as increased productivity, retention, and coverage) while emphasizing how the arrangement meets the team’s needs. Come prepared with a clear proposal, including how responsibilities will be divided and examples of successful job-sharing models in similar roles or industries.

Compressed Workweeks Offer Balance

Another fantastic arrangement is a compressed workweek. This usually means fitting a 40-hour workweek into four days instead of five. It might seem overwhelming at first, but having a consistent extra day at home can be an incredible relief. I’ve observed many parents leveraging that extra day for family activities or personal self-care routines, significantly reducing burnout and enhancing family time.

If you're managing multiple responsibilities, you might find it helpful to explore some effective strategies for handling those demands.

Hybrid Models Provide the Best of Both Worlds

The hybrid working model combines remote work with traditional office days. This setup can ease isolation and maintain professional visibility, all while enjoying flexibility. One thing I frequently highlight is that staying visible at work while prioritizing family commitments is achievable. A hybrid approach allows for crucial in-person interactions alongside the convenience of home-based tasks.

Creating a Family-Friendly Workplace Culture

Flexibility isn't just about working arrangements; it's about company culture. Organizations that genuinely support parents understand flexibility as an ongoing dialogue rather than a fixed policy. As Dr. Reed often says, a workplace supportive of families makes all the difference in employee satisfaction and productivity. Check out these additional insights into the benefits of flexible jobs for working parents, which ultimately is created by a family-friendly work culture.

If you're still unsure how to approach this with your employer, consider clearly communicating your needs. Employers appreciate transparency, and an open conversation can pave the way to a healthier balance between work and home.

Having said all of the above, creating that perfect flexibility and work arrangement is not always possible or practical because so much of your work is not in your control. What is in your control is to ensure you have an effective game plan each day to be successful at work and at home. Maximize your mental, emotional and physical health and success WITH the flexibility and work life balance you do have at the moment. By doing so and setting clear goals for the future, you can progress towards that more ideal balance and over time, achieve greater happiness and success for yourself and the entire family.

Level Up is a 5-minute morning or evening routine that guides you through building an effective game plan day-by-day. Professional athletes, leaders, executives and highly successful parents all do it, shouldn't you?

Practical Tips to Manage Your Flexible Arrangement

• Clearly define your workspace and stick to set hours, even at home.
• Use scheduling tools and productivity apps to keep your days organized.
• Maintain open communication with supervisors and colleagues to manage expectations effectively.

Implementing flexibility isn't always straightforward, but small adjustments can make a big difference. For practical steps on balancing everything, consider these essential tips.

Remember, flexibility is achievable, and the benefits are significant—not just for you, but for your children too. Start small, and watch as the little changes lead to significant improvements in your overall happiness and family harmony.

References

• "Supporting Working Parents: Creating Family-Friendly Policies and Flexible Work Arrangements." Inclusion Hub, www.inclusionhub.com/articles/supporting-working-parents-creating-family-friendly-policies-and-flexible-work-arrangements. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025.
• "Benefits of Flexible Jobs for Working Parents." PeopleReady, www.peopleready.com/worker-resources/insights-benefits-of-flexible-jobs-for-working-parents/. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025.