#1247 - Juggling Career and Parenting: Bite-Sized Advice from Google VP Sarah Armstrong

How do you juggle a high-powered global career and single motherhood — and still show up for your child with presence and purpose? In this inspiring episode, Justin speaks with Sarah Armstrong, Vice President of Global Marketing Operations at Google and author of The Art of the Juggling Act: A Bite-Sized Guide for Working Parents. Sarah shares practical insights on setting boundaries, overcoming mum guilt, building a support network, and navigating divorce with grace — all while raising a well-rounded daughter.

KEY POINTS:

• Setting and protecting boundaries is critical to successful work-family balance.
• Communicating your boundaries to others is as important as establishing them.
• Mum guilt is real — but grace and self-talk like “I’m doing the best I can” help reframe it.
• A solid support system — whether formal or informal — is essential for working parents.
• Children benefit from being included in adult conversations and exposed to diverse role models.
• A “good divorce” is possible through conscious, respectful co-parenting and emotional self-regulation.
• You can't control others' behaviour—but you can control your own responses, especially around your kids.

QUOTE OF THE EPISODE:
"Our kids deserve a few hours of our undivided attention. I didn’t just set boundaries — I protected them." – Sarah Armstrong

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• The Art of the Juggling Act: A Bite-Sized Guide for Working Parents by Sarah Armstrong
• Visit: happyfamilies.com.au

ACTION STEPS FOR PARENTS:

1. Define your non-negotiable boundaries (e.g., family time, tech-free windows).
2. Communicate those boundaries clearly to work colleagues, clients, and family.
3. Build a diverse support network — friends, neighbours, co-parents, and community members.
4. Practice grace-based self-talk: Remind yourself, “I’m doing the best I can.”
5. Include your kids in adult life — expose them to positive role models and conversations.
6. In separation or divorce, prioritise your child’s emotional safety by regulating your own behaviour and language around them.

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