Purpose: A potential catalyst and anchor for optimal work–family balance and well‐being

Abstract

Working parents often report difficulties in establishing optimal work–family balance, and such difficulties tend to yield poorer parent well‐being, parenting quality, and child well‐being. Despite advances in understanding of the long‐lasting and multifaceted benefits of purpose in life, up to this point, scant attention has been given to the concept of purpose as a practical means for promoting better parent well‐being and parenting quality, which also has far‐reaching impacts on child well‐being and trajectories. The goal of this paper is to discuss purpose as a potential catalyst and anchor for work–family balance and its associated outcomes of parenting well‐being, parenting quality, and child well‐being. Drawing from ecological systems, family systems, life course, and family resilience theories, this paper presents a conceptual model that depicts these relationships. Recommendations for advancing future research that supports theory building from this work as well as practice are provided.