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.