Dual-career households
Topics: Couples, Family, Mental Health
Dual-career households
Dual-career households are households in which both adult partners hold demanding jobs. Each partner can pursue a career and together they benefit financially.
Challenges of dual-career households
Balancing work and family is an ongoing challenge and there can be conflicts between the two. If a spouse or significant other (SSO) of a PSP also works shifts, the challenges increase. Attention must be given to transitions, planning, responsibilities, and scheduling.
Dual-PSP households
For dual-career households where both partners are working as PSP, there is a mix of opportunity and challenge. Each partner has insight into the experiences and stressors of being ‘on the job.’ Boundaries between work and home can blur, with the family experiencing spillover. It can get more complicated to navigate if both PSP work within the same sector or organization, or if there is a difference of rank within a dual-PSP couple. Also, the atypical schedules can create a model of ‘tag-team parenting’ for couples who have children. Tag-team parenting allows each parent dedicated time with their children. The downside is that each parent is going solo when the other parent is at work. Families have less time when everyone is together. Parents can feel like they are single parenting much of the time, resulting in sleep deprivation and physical fatigue. Women in dual PSP relationships may also report additional gendered expectations.
How might having a dual-career household affect family life?
Dual-career household logistics
Tips for dual-career families
- Being aware of the logistical challenges can help PSP couples and families to problem solve. Through conversation, families have an opportunity to be creative and proactive.
- Working together to support each career in a dual-career household is important.
- Shaping times in which the non-PSP career can take precedence can create a sense of balance.
- For dual-PSP career households, understanding the unique aspects of the job can lead to too much “shop talk”. Couples can feel that they cannot escape the job. It is important for dual-PSP households to talk about when, how, and how much they will communicate about their workday.
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References for this page (click to expand)
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