Crisis-Proofing Your Career: How to Navigate Work When Caregiving Becomes Unpredictable

Being a caregiver for a loved one is a role that many employees juggle alongside their professional lives, but the unpredictable nature of caregiving can sometimes leave you feeling overwhelmed. From sudden health crises to unexpected doctor’s appointments, the balance between work and caregiving can often feel precarious. The key to thriving in both roles is not just managing time but crisis-proofing your career in a way that gives you flexibility, support, and a sense of control. Here's how to do it:

1. Pre-emptively talk to your line manager about "if/when" scenarios

Have a calm, proactive conversation with your manager during a non-crisis period. Together, draft a rough "response plan" for sudden leave or flexible arrangements. Things to discuss:

• What work can be paused vs. what needs delegating
• Who can act as your temporary cover
• How much advance notice you can realistically give
• Preferred method of communication if you need to notify them urgently

This makes it less stressful to ask for help when time is tight.

2. Communicate early and honestly with your employer

When an unforeseen caregiving situation arises, it is essential to communicate with your employer as soon as possible. While it’s understandable that these moments are stressful, taking a proactive approach in communicating your situation can help set realistic expectations and allow your employer to support you.

• Be upfront and honest: Let your employer know what’s happening - whether it’s an emergency or a sudden need for extended caregiving. Being transparent about your situation helps them understand the urgency of your needs.
• Outline the impact on work: Explain how the caregiving situation might affect your work in the short term, such as needing to step away from meetings, adjust your hours, or take emergency leave.
• Suggest potential solutions: If possible, propose options for managing your workload while dealing with caregiving responsibilities. For example, if you need to step out for a few hours, suggest rescheduling important tasks or delegating work to a trusted colleague.

3. Have a contingency plan for caregiving

Caregiving often comes with the unpredictability of sudden emergencies, so it’s essential to have a plan in place that you can implement quickly when things go awry. This doesn’t mean preparing for every possible scenario but rather having a set of flexible strategies that allow you to respond to the immediate demands of caregiving while minimising disruptions to work.

This plan can include things like:

• Understand the process of taking ‘emergency time off’: Sometimes, despite all planning, you’ll need to take an unplanned day off. Learn about your company’s emergency leave policies, and make sure you know your rights regarding sick leave or family emergencies.
• Create a "grab-and-go" folder for emergencies: Put together both a digital and physical folder with essential documents and information, so you’re not scrambling in a crisis. This could include - medical records and medication lists, emergency contacts (doctors, neighbours, family), daily care routines and preferences, insurance details, etc. Keep one version on your phone or cloud (password-protected) and one printed at work.
• Map out levels of backup support: Instead of relying on a single fallback, think in tiers:
• Tier 1: Immediate support (neighbour, friend, close relative)
• Tier 2: Paid carers or respite care services
• Tier 3: Community or faith-based organisations offering short-term support
• Tier 4: Local authorities or adult social care options in extreme scenarios

Having these things in place can alleviate the immediate pressure when the unexpected happens, giving you a buffer to take care of your loved one while ensuring your work responsibilities are covered.

4. Prepare to delegate your work

As a caregiver, you’ve likely mastered the art of multitasking but knowing when and how to delegate is crucial. At work, this may mean leaning on your team more, trusting them with tasks that may not necessarily need your direct input, and learning to step back a little.

You can take a moment to step back from your tasks and think about which responsibilities can be handed over to someone else. Know which parts of your job are non-negotiable during a crisis. These are the tasks that must be done to avoid stalling major progress or affecting others. For each critical task, document:

• What it is
• How it’s done (step-by-step)
• Who could potentially take it over
• Where key files or logins are stored

This makes temporary handovers easier and faster if you're pulled away suddenly.

5. Set boundaries

When you're suddenly pulled in multiple directions, it's tempting to let work bleed into caregiving time, or vice versa. But without clear boundaries, you risk doing both jobs halfway and burning out in the process. Establishing limits not only helps protect your wellbeing but also signals to colleagues and loved ones when you're available and when you’re not.

• Create a defined work window: If your day becomes unpredictable, carve out specific times when you’re fully present for work, even if it’s a non-traditional schedule. Let your team know when you'll be responsive and when you’ll be offline for caregiving duties.
• Use an out-of-office or status update: A simple Teams or email status update like “In caregiving hours, will respond after 3pm” goes a long way in setting expectations and avoiding the pressure to reply instantly.
• Block out “buffer hours” weekly: Even when things are calm, block out 1–2 hours each week in your diary as protected time. You can use this to catch up on any work missed due to care, to take a breather and rest, or as an emergency time buffer for unexpected caregiving tasks. It adds flexibility to your week without sacrificing performance.

6. Leverage technology to stay organised and connected

There’s no need to juggle multiple calendars or spreadsheets when it comes to managing work and caregiving. Technology can be a lifesaver in helping you keep everything on track.

• Shared calendars and apps: Use tools like Google Calendar, Trello, or Asana to track both work deadlines and caregiving appointments. You can share these with a family member or a trusted colleague so they can stay informed if something changes.
• Remote collaboration tools: Stay connected with your team using communication platforms like Slack, Zoom, or Teams. Having these tools on your phone make it easier to stay in the loop and respond to work needs even if you need to step away from the office unexpectedly.
• Pre-draft work emails: Write template messages in advance for different levels of disruption. This could be an email you can quickly send to your manager/team if you need to step away mid-day, or a Teams or Slack message updating on task progress if you can't attend a meeting

By integrating these tools into your routine, you’ll have one less thing to worry about when life throws an unexpected curveball.

• Have a self-care plan in place

When you’re juggling sudden caregiving needs with work, your own wellbeing can fall by the wayside. A self-care plan helps prevent burnout before it starts. Keep it simple and sustainable:

• Non-negotiables: Choose 2–3 habits to stick to even in a crisis (e.g. 15-min walk, staying hydrated, regular meals).
• Mental health toolkit: Have a go-to list of quick resets - calming apps, a grounding playlist or podcast, or someone to text when you’re feeling overwhelmed.

Self-care isn’t a luxury. It’s a key part of any realistic contingency plan. If you’re not okay, everything else becomes harder to manage.