Balancing a big career with being truly present at home can often feel like walking a tightrope. Recently, two new Leaders Plus cohorts kicked off , the NHS and Future Leaders Plus. During the first session, participants were asked to bring an object that represents the impact they want the programme to have. The range is always inspiring and surprising: toy Bluey characters, Brio trains, water bottles, even titanium toothpicks!
While the objects vary, the aspirations behind them have a commonality: to excel in their careers while being truly present at home. And they are not alone. The Leaders Plus Career Progression Gaps Report 2023 found that the top three reasons working parents avoid applying for promotions are all tied to balancing senior roles with caring responsibilities:
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Fear the workload would be unmanageable alongside caring responsibilities
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Concern about lack of flexibility
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Lack of confidence in doing the job well while caring for their family.
Leaders Plus helps address these challenges. In 2024/25, 71% of Fellows were promoted or given extra responsibility, and 88% reported an improvement in work/life balance. Most recently, 82% of our January 2025 cohort said the programme helped them be more present at home.
So, what does “being present at home” actually look like? While it’s impossible to do everything and be everything to everyone, over the years Fellows and senior leaders have shared countless lightbulb moments about presence. Here are practical strategies that can help you connect and thrive with your family, even amid a busy career:
1. Protect Sacred Time
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Identify one or two daily or weekly routines that are fully protected from work — for example, the school run, bedtime reading, or family dinner.
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Set clear start and end times to mentally commit to being present.
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Use calendar blocks or reminders to reinforce boundaries.
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Limit phone or laptop use during these moments to stay fully engaged.
Our Setting Boundaries Workbook can help you implement these practices effectively.
2. Shape Your Environment & Build Rituals
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Step outside the home when possible to focus without distractions.
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If working from home, set up out-of-office notifications to signal the end of your workday and create physical cues, closing your laptop or leaving your desk, to mark the transition from work to family time. Consider introducing a ‘commute’ such as a walk round the block or even up and down the road.
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Establish simple, consistent family rituals: movie night, Sunday lunch, weekly walks, or games hour.
3. Engage Actively
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Choose activities your child enjoys; walks (with muddy puddles!), cooking, dancing, or games.
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Participate actively rather than passively; show interest and enthusiasm.
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Rotate activities for different children to honour their unique interests.
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Include small bonding moments during daily tasks, like meal prep or washing up together.
4. Prioritise Quality Over Quantity
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Just 20 minutes of focused one-on-one time can be highly valuable.
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Simple routines; short walks, story time, helping with dinner often matter more than elaborate plans.
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Ask your child what they enjoyed most and adapt your activities accordingly.
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Be spontaneous: small, unexpected moments, like a late-night walk or a school-night movie, are often the most memorable.
This podcast with Dr Martha Deiros Collado, a clinical psychologist specialising in family therapy, has some brilliant insights on this subject.
5. Communicate Openly with Children
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Explain your work in age-appropriate ways.
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Share why your job is important and celebrate your successes with your family.
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Normalize temporary absence while emphasizing that you’ll return fully engaged.
Try This Today
Pick one small action from the tips above, whether it’s a phone-free 15 minutes, a mini “commute” walk, or letting your child choose tonight’s activity, and put it into practice this week. Stick to it for a couple of weeks and see how it makes you feel. Small, intentional moments often create the biggest shifts over time .
Being present at home isn’t about perfection — it’s about making intentional choices that allow you to thrive as both a parent and a professional.
If you want to explore how to balance career ambitions with being the parent you want to be, one of our Leaders Plus programmes might be just what you need. Find out which programme you are eligible for here.