The Second Shift

The Second Shift

The "second shift" is a term coined by bestselling author and sociologist Arlie Hochschild in her book of the same title. For many women who work outside the home, it feels like we are balancing two jobs—one at work and another at home. And for those who stay home full-time, the work doesn’t end. Instead of two shifts, it can feel like one never-ending 24/7 cycle.

Last night, after a long day at work, I was looking forward to relaxing— maybe enjoying an adult beverage, reading a bit, and heading to bed early. None of that happened. Instead, I ate supper (because self-care matters!), then cleaned up, did a load of laundry, tackled my Spanish homework, made coffee for the morning, packed my gym bag, and the list continued. By the time I finally crawled into bed, it was 10:30, with my alarm set for 5:00 the next morning. Does this scenario sound familiar? Sadly, for many of us this is a daily occurrence.

I try to be intentional about getting enough rest, building margin into my day, and letting some things go, but it’s not always easy. Life moves at such a fast pace that it feels like if we stop for even a moment, we’ll fall behind.

I don’t have all the answers. I just want you to know—you are not alone. We are all working the second shift.