Trying to Do It All: Balancing Full-Time Work, a Health Condition and Caring for My Parents

There are days where I genuinely wonder how I’m still going.
Not in a dramatic way. Just in that quietly-exhausted, slightly-detached, autopilot mode kind of way.

Because right now, I’m working a full-time job, managing a long-term health condition and caring for two disabled parents who don’t financially qualify for the level of support they actually need.

It’s a lot.
And some days, it feels impossible.

Living Between Emails, Appointments and Anticonvulsants

I work 40 hours a week.
It pays the bills, keeps the lights on and gives me a sense of stability I need. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy. In fact, it often feels like the final straw - the one that might just break the camel’s back.

Between meetings and deadlines, I’m constantly listening in on phone calls as Mum tells yet another health professional she’s ‘fine’.

I’m ringing to check that my stepdad is doing okay in rehab.

And then there’s the epilepsy.

It’s mostly controlled - but stress is a known trigger. And lately? I’ve been running on pure stress. It’s always on my mind that one day I’m going to take things too far.

I take my medication religiously. I try to rest. But there’s a fine line between “pushing through” and “risking a seizure.”
I know the warning signs - dizziness, fatigue, that slight static in my brain.
And yet, I still override them. Because… who else is going to do it?

The Guilt Loop

I feel guilty when I can’t show up for work like I used to.
I feel guilty when I can’t be there for my parents 24/7.
I feel guilty for talking about my parents on date night with my husband.
I feel guilty when I rest.

But I also know, deep down, that I’m not superhuman.

You can’t pour from an empty cup - and I’m currently working with a leaky one.

Everyone Says “Ask for Help”

And I have.
But help that only comes on someone else’s terms isn’t always helpful.

What I really need is consistency, flexibility and people who don’t disappear when it’s inconvenient.

I’ve asked.
I’ve begged.
I’ve tried every polite, practical, persuasive version of “please can someone else step in?”

But it always circles back.
Back to me.

What I’m Learning (Slowly)

🟡 Rest isn’t selfish.
Even if it's five minutes of quiet in the car before going inside. That counts.

🟡 You have to pick what drops.
You can’t carry everything. Some balls are glass. Some are rubber. You learn which can bounce.

🟡 Health is non-negotiable.
Mine, theirs - it all matters. If I don’t look after my epilepsy… well it’s not even worth thinking about.

🟡 You’re not failing - you’re human.
And the fact you’re trying at all is enough.

If You’re Also Doing Too Much:

If you’re working full-time, dealing with your own health and still somehow keeping others afloat - I see the strength and the cost.

It’s not sustainable. It’s not fair. But it’s real.

So please, take the break.
Eat the food.
Book the appointment.
Say no without guilt.
And remember: you matter too.

💛 Does any of this sound familiar? I’d love to know how you’re balancing your caring role with everything else. Comment below - let’s talk about what this really takes.