Working Parents, Make Friendships a Part of Your Routine

Even on a tight schedule, you can connect through shared experiences.

by

Neal J. Roese

and

Kyle S. H. Dobson

by

Neal J. Roese

and

Kyle S. H. Dobson

May 12, 2020

visualspace/Getty Images

Summary.

Many working parents struggle to divide their time between work and family while still feeling successful and committed in both areas. Friendships barely register in this balancing act. Not only is making time for friends problematic, but their closest friends may be geographically far removed, making staying in touch seem insurmountable. And with today’s social distancing, even trying to sneak away for a quick coffee isn’t an option.

But working parents can create new ways to have shared experiences with their friends through bundling—the creation of shared experience by way of combining two friends’ mundane life tasks. Pick a task that you do on your own, like shopping for groceries, cooking dinner, or even reading bedtime stories. Then, connect it with a friend who is doing that same thing by using technology. Bundling allows you to spend time with friends, without having to find extra time, and it gives them an authentic view of your life.

Monica gently tucks her two-year-old son Hudson into bed. She had just finished up work as a senior manager at a global bank. As she quietly closes the door to her son’s bedroom, her mind flips back to the documents she still needs to review in preparation for an early meeting the next morning. She had hoped to call a friend back first but she just doesn’t have the time (or energy) tonight.

Neal J. Roese is the SC Johnson Chair in Global Marketing at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
KD

Kyle S. H. Dobson is a PhD Candidate in Management & Organizations at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Working Parents, Make Friendships a Part of Your Routine

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