Work-Life Balance: The Tale of Professional and Personal Road Taken by Female School Heads

The purpose of this multiple case study was to describe the experiences, challenges, coping mechanisms, and aspirations of the five female School Heads assigned in the public schools of the South Cotabato district. This study explored how they balance their work and personal life. Data were gathered via In-Depth interviews and coded as P1-Jana, P2-Jane, P3-Erma, P4-Anie, and P5-Mely. Based on the gathered data, nine themes emerged from the category of views: Getting Involved is Necessary, Balance Time, Both Work is Equally Important, Learn from Others, Focus Leads to Efficiency of Work, Response to Life Positively, Enjoying Both Profession, Extend Hard-work, and Respect Others. Meanwhile, five emergent themes for the challenges: Multiple Responsibilities and Relationship with Others, Exhausting Work, Stress and Physical, Mental, and Emotional Conflict, while four emergent themes for the coping mechanisms: Build Good Relationships, Give Time for Leisure, Make A To-Do List, and Accept Limitations. Lastly, for the category of aspirations, the eleven emergent themes were: Be Considerate and Fulfill Obligations, Being a School Head is Fulfilling, Motivate Everyone, Provide Support, Set Priorities, Put Family Before Work, Balance Responsibilities, Be Strategic, Live with Legacy, and Be Willing to Perform Responsibilities. Findings showed that all female school heads similarly experienced some emerging themes, while particular participants experienced other themes. Nevertheless, it was found that all the female school heads play an important role in shaping education.