Academic mothers and the work–life balance

This chapter explores the challenges faced by academic mothers in balancing professional and caregiving responsibilities within the Spanish academic system. Despite institutional efforts to promote gender equality, structural and cultural barriers persist, particularly during the postdoctoral phase, a critical period for both career progression and family planning. The chapter highlights the emotional toll of managing dual roles, including stress, guilt and self-exploitation. It critiques the inadequacy of current work–life balance policies and calls for systemic reforms that prioritise caregiving as a core component of academic work. While affirmative action measures are broadly supported, they are seen as insufficient without deeper organisational and cultural change. The chapter advocates for a more equitable distribution of care responsibilities and a redefinition of academic success that values well-being, teaching and management alongside research output.