Don’t wait until the kids are gone to plan for what’s next.
May 09, 2024
HBR Staff; Sergey Skleznev/Burazin/Mario Arango/Softulka/Getty Images; Unsplash
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When children leave the house for college or other opportunities, the sudden change and loss of predictability can be disruptive for working parents and their careers. It’s common for parents to feel grief when kids leave the house. Perhaps you’ve been caught unaware: you haven’t fully anticipated this time and season, and now your life looks like a blank canvas. How do you fill it? If you’re an empty nester (or will be soon), this article offers some questions for you to reflect on and strategies help you re-shape your life and find meaning — both personally and professionally — during this time.
As you progress through your career, you’ll no doubt encounter some major milestones and transition points that might spur you to pause and reassess the path that you’re on. One such milestone that affects working parents is becoming an empty nester. When children leave the house for college or other opportunities, so go predictable routines that order much of family life: sports practices and games, concerts, special school events, etc. What happens with all that time once your children move out? The sudden change and loss of predictability can be disruptive, both for your home life and your career.
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Anne Sugar is an executive coach and speaker who works with senior leaders in technology, marketing, and pharmaceutical companies. She is an executive coach for the Harvard Business School Executive Program and has guest lectured at MIT. You can reach her at annesugar.com.
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New!
HBR Learning
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Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Career Management. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
What’s your next career move? Learn how to set yourself up for success.