What Flexibility Actually Means in Your Career (And Why Most Women Get It Wrong)
What does flexibility mean to you?
We all say we want it. But have you defined it?
You need to know what "flavor" of flexibility gives you what you need most in this season. Because flexible work for one woman looks nothing like flexible work for another.
The 5 Flavors of Workplace Flexibility
Before you say yes to a job, a pivot, or a new chapter, get honest about which of these you are actually asking for.
Being able to come and go as you please
Having set days in the office
Working remote
Clear boundaries
Working for yourself
Each one looks different in practice. Each one trades off something else. And the version that feels like freedom to you might feel like a cage to someone else.
When My "Flexible" Job Was Not Actually Flexible
In the middle of my career, I negotiated a job share.
On paper it sounded incredibly flexible. Three days in the office. A co-partner working the other days so I could be home with my kids.
That arrangement gave me something I am still grateful for. It allowed me to stay in a career I loved and be with my kids during an important season.
But here is what I learned.
On the days I was working, there was not much flexibility at all. Those days were full. Structured. Accountable. The pressure to show up fully on those days was real, despite school events, sick kids, or other things out of my control.
Because I was not there five days, I often felt like I had to prove that I was just as committed.
So yes, I worked fewer days. But the days I was in were not flexible.
Flexibility Is Not Just About Fewer Hours
Between that experience, and the work I do with my clients (many of whom want more flexibility in their next chapter) I have changed how I view the word.
Flexibility is not just about fewer hours. It is about autonomy. Trust. Boundaries. And how your days actually feel.
Before you pivot toward "flexibility," define what the word actually means to you.
Because what sounds flexible and what feels flexible are two different things.
What Flexibility Looks Like for Me Now
Now, I run my own business. I work weekends and nights sometimes. But it is my definition of flexible. I choose those hours so I can show up at pickup or lacrosse and design my schedule in a way that fits this season.
That feels different.
The Question to Sit With Before Your Next Move
What does flexibility mean to you right now?
Not the word everyone uses. Not the word on the job listing. The version of it that would actually change how your days feel.
If you are in the middle of trying to figure that out, book a free discovery call and we will talk through what you are actually looking for and whether working together makes sense. No script, no pressure.
If this resonated, share it with someone who needs to hear it.
