Taking Care of Yourself (HBR Working Parents Series)

For many working parents, the to-do list never ends, and self-care often slides to the bottom as a luxury rather than a necessity. Taking Care of Yourself from the HBR Working Parents Series reframes that assumption with direct, practical guidance drawn from Harvard Business Review contributors.

Permission to Recharge, Without the Guilt

The opening section addresses the internal resistance many parents feel when they consider time for themselves. It offers strategies to give yourself permission to step back, examine how your time is actually spent, and make small adjustments that create breathing room. The advice is grounded in realistic busy schedules, not idealized routines.

Make Your Schedule Reflect What Matters

Several chapters focus on aligning daily choices with personal values. Readers learn to identify unnecessary tasks, reduce busywork at home and work, and carve out moments for recovery during the workday. The approach is less about grand overhauls and more about sustainable, incremental changes.

Better Conversations About Needs and Boundaries

Self-care often depends on communicating clearly with partners, colleagues, and family members. This section walks through practical conversations for overwhelmed working parents, including how to signal family commitments to coworkers and how to ask for help without feeling inadequate. Sample scripts and talking points make these discussions feel more manageable.

Emotional Health as a Daily Practice

The final part turns inward, addressing guilt, emotional exhaustion, and perfectionism. It encourages self-compassion and acceptance, offering ways to refuel when energy is low and to drop the ball occasionally without self-criticism. The tone is supportive rather than prescriptive.

A Practical Addition to the HBR Working Parents Series

Edited by Daisy Dowling, this volume collects short, focused articles from a variety of HBR experts. Each piece is concise enough to read during a commute or a quiet cup of coffee. Whether you are a new parent or managing teenagers, the book provides realistic tools to care for yourself while caring for others.