Double Duty: Carrying the Load at Home and in the Workplace
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
By Doug Lawrence
Mentoring Expert
For millions of people, the workday does not end when the office lights go out or the laptop is shut down. Instead, it simply shifts location. Emails are replaced by dinner prep, meetings by caregiving, deadlines by bedtime routines. This reality—often referred to as “double duty”—describes the dual responsibilities many individuals carry in both the home and the workplace. While this balancing act has long existed, it has become increasingly visible, and increasingly heavy, in today’s fast-paced world.
Double duty is not merely about being busy. It is about managing competing expectations, emotional labor, and invisible work that often goes unrecognized.
At work, individuals are expected to perform, produce, lead, and adapt. At home, they are expected to nurture, organize, support, and hold everything together. Each role is demanding on its own; together, they can be exhausting.
Historically, double duty has disproportionately affected women. Even as workplace participation has expanded and gender roles have evolved, research consistently shows that women continue to shoulder a larger share of household and caregiving responsibilities. This includes childcare, elder care, household management, and the mental load of planning and anticipating needs.
Men, too, are increasingly navigating double duty, particularly as expectations around fatherhood and partnership shift. Still, the imbalance remains, creating strain not just on individuals but on families and organizations as well.
The emotional toll of double duty is significant. Many people live with a constant sense of being “on,” rarely able to fully disengage from one role before stepping into another. Guilt often accompanies this cycle—guilt for leaving work early to attend a family obligation, and guilt for focusing on work when home responsibilities call. Over time, this chronic pressure can lead to burnout, anxiety, and a feeling of never quite doing enough in either space.
The workplace is not immune to the effects. Employees carrying heavy home responsibilities may experience reduced energy, difficulty concentrating, or limited availability for overtime and travel. Too often, these realities are misinterpreted as a lack of commitment or ambition. In truth, many double-duty workers are among the most skilled at time management, prioritization, and problem-solving—competencies forged through necessity. When organizations fail to recognize this, they risk losing talented individuals who simply cannot sustain an unsupportive environment.
The home, too, feels the strain. When one partner carries the majority of domestic responsibilities, resentment can quietly build. When caregiving demands are relentless, personal needs are often the first to be sacrificed. Rest, hobbies, social connection, and self-care become luxuries rather than essentials. Over time, this imbalance can erode relationships and personal well-being.
Technology has further blurred the boundaries between work and home. Remote and hybrid work arrangements offer flexibility, but they can also extend the workday indefinitely. A message answered after dinner, a call taken during family time, or a report finished late at night can slowly normalize constant availability. For those already performing double duty, this lack of clear boundaries can intensify the sense that there is no true off switch.
So what helps? On an individual level, naming the reality of double duty is a powerful first step. Acknowledging that the load is heavy—and that struggling does not indicate failure—can reduce self-blame. Open communication within households about expectations, division of labor, and support needs is equally important. Double duty should not default to one person simply because they have always done it.
In the workplace, meaningful change requires more than wellness slogans. Flexible scheduling, realistic workloads, supportive leadership, and a culture that respects boundaries make a tangible difference. When employees feel trusted to manage their time and supported as whole people, engagement and retention improve. Leaders who model balance—by taking time off, setting limits, and honoring personal commitments—signal that double duty is understood, not penalized.
At a societal level, policies around childcare, elder care, parental leave, and flexible work arrangements play a critical role. When support systems are weak, the burden shifts to individuals, often in silence. Recognizing caregiving and domestic labor as essential contributions—not personal inconveniences—helps reframe the conversation.
Double duty is not a personal failing; it is a structural reality shaped by expectations, culture, and systems that have not fully caught up with modern life. Those carrying it deserve recognition, support, and compassion—from employers, families, and themselves.
Balancing home and work will never be effortless. But with shared responsibility, thoughtful policies, and honest conversations, it can become more sustainable. Until then, millions will continue to quietly perform double duty, holding together workplaces, households, and communities—often at great personal cost, and with far too little acknowledgment.
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