I'm a hard worker and love my work. I have felt pulled toward work. And it's a pull I have ferociously had to counter to make room for my family.
Arlie Russell HochschildRead
No work-family balance will ever fully take hold if the social conditions that might make it possible - men who are willing to share parenting and housework, communities that value work in the home as highly as work on the job, and policymakers and elected officials who are prepared to demand family-friendly reforms - remain out of reach.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Work-family balance relies on shared responsibilities and supportive social conditions.
This quote emphasizes that achieving a true work-family balance is contingent upon broader societal changes. It highlights the necessity for men to take an active role in parenting and household duties, the importance of valuing domestic work equally with professional work, and the need for policymakers to implement family-friendly reforms. Without these fundamental shifts in societal norms and policies, a sustainable work-family balance will remain unattainable.
Themes
Work-Family BalanceSocial ConditionsParentingHouseworkFamily-Friendly Reforms
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about gender equality, this quote can be used to illustrate the need for shared responsibilities at home.
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Many women cut back what had to be done at home by redefining what the house, the marriage and, sometimes, what the child needs. One woman described a fairly common pattern: I do my half. I do half of his half, and the rest doesn't get done.
Arlie Russell HochschildRead
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