It’s early and the sun is rising.
There’s a crisp in the air gently creeping through the window of my office, bringing with it a rare sense of calm. Mornings like these are my sanctuary—moments when creativity pulses through me, ideas flowing faster than I can jot them down. These moments of calm feel like fleeting glimpses of a life that’s been fractured by the relentless demands of work and parenting.
I cherish these two precious weeks each year—the brief pause between the end of summer swim season/camps and the chaotic start of the school year. It’s the only time I’m solely responsible for getting myself up and out the door, or to my desk downstairs on remote days.
With this extra time, I finally breathe. I’m less pressured, more relaxed. I can do things that should be the norm, not the exception. I’ve spent hours watching a movie with my husband. I painted and played a game with my youngest. I had a deep, heart-to-heart conversation with my pre-teen daughter as she prepares for middle school for the first time, and even went to dinner with a friend. No more forcing myself to sleep by 9 p.m. just to wake up at 4:45 a.m. to tackle the endless to-do list—or worse, passing out from exhaustion by 8:30 p.m.
For the first time in a long time, I feel like I’m truly living.
I feel human.
But in a few short weeks it’ll be back to the rat race. The calm of these mornings will be replaced by the relentless noise of obligations and responsibilities. The peace I’ve cherished will shatter under the weight of deadlines, practices, and endless to-do lists. I’ll be depleted, exhausted, and overwhelmed, with nothing left to give—no energy for the connections that make life meaningful.
Why does it have to be this way?
Burnout by Design
The system is broken for American working parents. It pushes us toward burnout, stripping away our well-being. We live in a society that idolizes productivity and hustle—but at what cost?
The constant pressure to perform leaves us feeling broken, a sense of self shattered by the demands of a system that never lets up.
For the past two weeks, I’ve felt something different. I’ve been relaxed, my relationships are thriving, and I’m making thoughtful decisions. Most importantly for my employer, I’m doing the best work I’ve done in a long time. My productivity is soaring, I’m not overwhelmed, and I’m genuinely happy.
But all good things must come to an end, right? The off-season sports practices that trickled through summer are now gearing up to go full speed, along with birthday parties, conflicting commitments, Sunday school, and the dreaded “theme days” that demand a last-minute 8 p.m. run to Target for an orange T-shirt. Homework piles up, and there’s about 187 daily emails that come along with these things, each one ready to push you out of the loop if you don’t meticulously read every word, start to finish.
So much to look forward to.
Does any of this sound familiar?
What I’m describing isn’t just my personal struggle—it’s an epidemic affecting families with two working parents across the country. Can youth sports, social calendars, and school obligations be a bit extra? Absolutely they can. But in a world where we’re battling the crisis of screen addiction and the constant flood of harmful content vying for our children’s attention, I refuse to pull back on any positive influence.
As working parents, we’re stuck in a no-win situation. We’re expected to make it all happen—no matter the cost. And those costs are our emotional and physical wellbeing. We strive to meet the demands of American work culture, live up to our employers’ expectations, support our coworkers, attend the networking events, be present at every school activity, feed our kids a healthy, home-cooked diet, keep them on track at school, get them to practice by 5:30 p.m., make time for our partners, and somehow remain a happy, positive existence.
It’s impossible to do it all and stay healthy—physically or mentally.
But what if it didn’t have to be this way? What if there was a better approach to work and life, one that didn’t leave us feeling shattered and exhausted? Our neighbors across the Atlantic seem to have found a solution.
Proof That Less Can Be More
There are some key differences between American work culture and that of several European countries that prove we can have more accommodating, less demanding work schedules and get the job done. For example, Germany and France have shorter work weeks and more vacation time, yet they hold their place as global economic powerhouses.
The Proof is in the Numbers
According to The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an international body dedicated to improving economic and social well-being globally, Americans work significantly more hours each year compared to many of their global counterparts. Specifically, Americans clock 275 more hours annually than U.K. workers, 188 more hours than Japanese workers, 299 more hours than French workers and (no surprise) 362 more hour than Swedish workers.
Let’s put this in perspective using the U.K. as an example. Americans are working 6.8 more workweeks than their British counterparts. That’s over a month and a half of additional work!
When Will Enough Be Enough?
I may not have the statistics at hand, but one thing is clear: technology has catapulted us lightyears ahead in productivity compared to just 20 years ago. Automation, computers, and software now allow us to accomplish in a single day what used to take an entire week. In theory, this should have given us more time to spend with our families, and allowed us to live more balanced lives.
And yet, the typical American work week was 40 hours then, and is still 40 hours now (and let’s be real, most of us are working well over 40 hours a week). Instead of liberating us, these advancements have somehow tightened the grip of the relentless pursuit. When is enough, enough?
As I prepare to dive back into the chaotic shuffle, with my armor on and ready, I can’t help but long for the peace and fulfillment I felt during these two brief weeks. This is my battle cry. As a society, we need to figure this out. As employers, we must put people first. I firmly believe that when we do, the quality of work, human connection, and overall societal impact will be far greater than anything we’ve seen before.
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