The Hardest Part of My Day

Every day at the same time, I come in from my office and clumsily encounter the transition between my work life and home life. Because I work from home, there’s no drive time to buffer, no quiet reset between the pressure of a full day as VP of Operations for a full-service agency and the chaos of a full house with a toddler and four teens.

That transition is the hardest part of my day, hands down. And I’d argue there are few truly good tips for how to do it well.

No matter your setup, there are likely moments when you feel like you don’t have the tools or time to mentally or emotionally transition. The shift from one role to another, leader to parent or professional to partner, can feel abrupt.

But I’ve realized something over the years: the principles that make me an effective leader are the same ones that help me show up well at home. When the pressure builds and the lines blur, those principles become even more self-evident.

This stage of life is teaching me new things every day, but a few truths continue to anchor me. Whether I’m leading a team through a tough quarter or managing a family dinner after a long day, these reminders keep me grounded:

• Lead with heart. Find the balance between boundaries and vulnerability. It isn’t as hard as you think.
• Remember that you rarely see the full picture. Never forget that you don’t really understand what other people are going through.
• Provide clarity on roles and expectations. It’s the best gift you can give a team or a family.
• Allow people to rise to the occasion. More often than not, they will meet you there.
• Hire for soft skills over hard skills. You can teach the rest, but empathy, adaptability, and kindness are gold.
• Give your team the benefit of the doubt. Ask questions before assuming.
• Do not introduce a problem without a possible solution. It keeps the focus on progress rather than frustration.

Recently, I flew out to a senior leadership offsite in another state, my first as a senior leader. I was the only female in the room and about ten years their junior in experience. Even so, I still asked the big questions and helped drive difficult conversations.

That experience reminded me again that leadership is not about having the answers. It is about holding steady when things feel uncertain and helping others do the same. Confidence comes not from control, but from curiosity and courage.

These lessons remind me that leading, whether on an all-staff call or on the way home from sports, is an incredible privilege. It comes down to having an impact on people’s everyday life and how they feel about what they’re doing, and that is something I try to make the most of.