Superwomen Can Only Be Super When We Get the Support We Need
One secret to success that more women (even those with seemingly super powers) should embrace? Delegation! Here are some suggestions for working women on enlisting the help of others across the universe of their lives.
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Want to add more newsletters?
Delivered daily
Kiplinger Today
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more delivered daily. Smart money moves start here.
Sent five days a week
Kiplinger A Step Ahead
Get practical help to make better financial decisions in your everyday life, from spending to savings on top deals.
Delivered daily
Kiplinger Closing Bell
Get today's biggest financial and investing headlines delivered to your inbox every day the U.S. stock market is open.
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Adviser Intel
Financial pros across the country share best practices and fresh tactics to preserve and grow your wealth.
Delivered weekly
Kiplinger Tax Tips
Trim your federal and state tax bills with practical tax-planning and tax-cutting strategies.
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Retirement Tips
Your twice-a-week guide to planning and enjoying a financially secure and richly rewarding retirement
Sent bimonthly.
Kiplinger Adviser Angle
Insights for advisers, wealth managers and other financial professionals.
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Investing Weekly
Your twice-a-week roundup of promising stocks, funds, companies and industries you should consider, ones you should avoid, and why.
Sent weekly for six weeks
Kiplinger Invest for Retirement
Your step-by-step six-part series on how to invest for retirement, from devising a successful strategy to exactly which investments to choose.
This column is part of a special series Halbert Hargrove produced in honor of March being Women's History Month to highlight women's accomplishments and challenges.
Being a superwoman doesn’t equate to superhuman strength. In whatever roles you play in the workplace and your personal life, feeling buried and stressed is probably all too familiar. We all need to acknowledge when we’re taking on too much — and ask for help when needed.
We women are so capable, and our brains are hard-wired to capably multi-task juggling a multitude of responsibilities. Why not delegate some of those tasks instead of running ourselves into the ground?
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special Issues
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Massive strides, but more are required
Today, we’re seeing women in the workplace reaping the benefits fought for by the generations before them. In the U.S., women have already passed men in the likelihood of getting a college degree — including graduate degrees. And we’re increasingly taking on leadership roles in previously male-driven professions like finance, law and medicine.
But there’s still a lot of controversy in our culture about gender inequality, not the least in terms of women’s pay and share of upper-level management positions. And how about our share of drudgery?
One of the clearest indicators of not-yet-vanquished inequality is that women still do the majority of domestic work — cleaning the house, cooking dinner and caring for their kids. Fact: In the U.S., women who work 35 or more hours per week spend on average 4.9 hours per day on unpaid household duties, while their working male counterparts spend an average of 3.8 hours per day. Studies show that this disproportionality not only inhibits women’s employment options, earnings and economic stability, but also impacts their health and happiness.
The key to keeping your sanity and health is enlisting help and building trusted partnerships.
Help in managing your financial life
As a working professional, you’re in the process of perfecting your own craft. Outsourcing to other experts should be a no-brainer.
As a wealth adviser, I daily see the benefits of the planning, investment advice and discipline that pay off for our firm’s clients. So here’s my bias: The first professional you should seek out should be someone to help manage your financial life — maintaining a livable income, saving for retirement, growing your wealth, saving for children’s college. If these represent priorities in your life, you should place these critical responsibilities in the hands of an expert.
A financial partner is not only beneficial in terms of helping you invest and grow your savings, but also in providing advice on the tough decisions. Like when it’s time for your parents to make the move to nursing home or tell your adult children they need to pay their own way. Or when you need to hang in there during difficult market periods. A financial adviser can also recommend other experts who have your best interests at heart.
What do you need, and who can provide it?
A great place to start mastering superwomanhood is making an assessment of your biggest stressors and challenges, and where you stand to benefit most from partnering with others. Here are some suggestions of additional experts and resources you might consider:
- A therapist. Your mental health is your foundation. This should be step one of asking for help — many times, even before you realize you actually need it.
- A career or life coach. For help (and an outside perspective) on reaching for goals and keeping yourself accountable to them.
- A CPA. For many, online tax software has made it easy to file taxes. But there’s still a lot of value and advice a tax professional can provide, especially for those in a unique situation like owning a small business.
- A specialized attorney. Looking to finalize your will? Hire an expert. Looking to sell or expand your small business? Make sure to connect with a business attorney.
- Mortgage brokers and real estate agents. Buying or selling a home is a huge financial move. You should rely on the expertise of professionals.
- A personal trainer or health coach. For all those reasons you already know.
- Home help. Last but not least, ask for home help! Hire a nanny, a professional cleaner, a home organizer or declutterer and/or a dog walker. Also, don’t be afraid to ask your significant other — they signed up to share this life with you, make them earn it!
Remember, you may be successful, but you’re not a lone warrior. Perpetual displays of superhuman strength and abilities exist only in comic books and movies.
-
The Cost of Leaving Your Money in a Low-Rate AccountWhy parking your cash in low-yield accounts could be costing you, and smarter alternatives that preserve liquidity while boosting returns.
-
I want to sell our beach house to retire now, but my wife wants to keep it.I want to sell the $610K vacation home and retire now, but my wife envisions a beach retirement in 8 years. We asked financial advisers to weigh in.
-
How to Add a Pet Trust to Your Estate PlanAdding a pet trust to your estate plan can ensure your pets are properly looked after when you're no longer able to care for them. This is how to go about it.
-
How to Add a Pet Trust to Your Estate Plan: Don't Leave Your Best Friend to Chance
Adding a pet trust to your estate plan can ensure your pets are properly looked after when you're no longer able to care for them. This is how to go about it.
-
Want to Avoid Leaving Chaos in Your Wake? Don't Leave Behind an Outdated Estate PlanAn outdated or incomplete estate plan could cause confusion for those handling your affairs at a difficult time. This guide highlights what to update and when.
-
I'm a Financial Adviser: This Is Why I Became an Advocate for Fee-Only Financial AdviceCan financial advisers who earn commissions on product sales give clients the best advice? For one professional, changing track was the clear choice.
-
This Is How You Can Land a Job You'll Love"Work How You Are Wired" leads job seekers on a journey of self-discovery that could help them snag the job of their dreams.
-
65 or Older? Cut Your Tax Bill Before the Clock Runs OutThanks to the OBBBA, you may be able to trim your tax bill by as much as $14,000. But you'll need to act soon, as not all of the provisions are permanent.
-
I'm a Financial Adviser: This Is the $300,000 Social Security Decision Many People Get WrongDeciding when to claim Social Security is a complex, high-stakes decision that shouldn't be based on fear or simple break-even math.
-
4 Ways Washington Could Put Your Retirement at Risk (and How to Prepare)Legislative changes, such as shifting tax brackets or altering retirement account rules, could affect your nest egg, so it'd be prudent to prepare. Here's how.
-
Is Your Retirement Plan Built for 2026 — or Stuck in 2006?It's time to move away from the 4% rule and the 60/40 portfolio to an adaptable, tax-diversified strategy focused on reliable income and longevity.
