All Figured Out with Andrea Barr: Figuring Out Work, Life and Parenting

117. Meet your needs as a working parent without burning out - Lieke ten Brummelhuis

All Figured Out with Andrea Barr: Figuring Out Work, Life and Parenting

Show Notes

Work-life balance is all about getting your psychological needs met, not just about time management. Professor, researcher, and expert in employee well-being, Lieke ten Brummelhuis shares why "doing it all" is a myth, how to recover from workaholism as a parent, and the three needs that actually determine your happiness. Plus: research-backed insights on why women help more at work and home, and how to prevent resentment from building up with your partner. In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Intro

(03:15) How Lieke accidentally became a work-life balance researcher

(07:42) What her early research revealed about parents with young children

(10:28) Recovering from workaholism: Lieke's personal aha moment with her daughter

(14:50) Why you need different domains where you feel competent (not just work)

(17:35) The power of completing tiny projects—like baking banana bread

(20:45) Why it's actually healthy to need control over something manageable

(24:18) Gender differences in helping behavior at work and home

(28:30) Why you can't have it all (and why that's actually okay)

(33:20) The real question: Are you happy? Not, are you balanced?

(36:10) The 3 psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and belonging

(40:25) How to audit where your needs are being met across life domains

(45:50) Communication with your partner without letting resentment pile up

(50:15) Thoughts on remote work and the balance between control and connection

(55:40) What Lieke is still figuring out

KEY TAKEAWAY Stop chasing work-life balance and start asking: What makes me happy? You don't need to "do it all" what you need is to feel in control, competent, and connected. Those three needs can be met strategically across different areas of your life, not just through work. When you shift from time management to needs fulfillment, you stop burning out and start actually living. About Lieke ten Brummelhuis Lieke ten Brummelhuis is a Professor in Management at Simon Fraser University, researching employee well-being. She is the author of the book "Work-Life Strategy," in which she explains how to find happiness when juggling multiple roles. She is also a contributor to Forbes, sharing insights on how to work healthily with leaders and employees worldwide. Her work has been featured in the Harvard Business Review, Wall Street Journal, and Globe & Mail. Ten Brummelhuis lives with her family in North Vancouver, British Columbia. Connect with Lieke ten Brummelhuis Website | https://www.rerailyourlife.com/ Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/rerail.your.life | Linkedin | https://www.linkedin.com/in/lieke-ten-brummelhuis-3159051/ Book | https://amzn.to/4bwuNzM About Andrea Barr, host of All Figured Out: Andrea is a certified career and life coach for parents. Through her coaching, she supports parents in finding better work-life rhythms so they can continue to grow personally and professionally without sacrificing family time. Connect with Andrea Website | ⁠https://www.andreabarr.com/⁠

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/allfiguredoutandrea | https://www.instagram.com/allfiguredout.podcast

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