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Stumble It!A Balancing Act: Today Show Contributor, Gail Saltz
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You will likely recognize Dr. Gail Saltz as the Today Show's mental health contributor, yet she is also a mother of three, an author, an associate professor, and a renowned psychoanalyst with a private practice in Manhattan. Gail manages to juggle a dizzying number of roles, and her enjoyment of each endeavor is clearly part of her winning recipe for achieving a sustainable balance. While it is she who typically asks the questions, here Gail agreed to a role reversal, with inspiring results. |
Samantha: What is your typical day like?
Gail: It starts with waking my kids and getting them ready for school. Depending on how early my Today Show segment is (once or twice a week), I will either go directly to the studio or drop them at school first. Then I go to my office where I see patients. My schedule is very piece meal so some days I write later. Like everyone else, I squeeze in errands where I can. I rarely sit down for lunch but eat on the move to maximize my "kids are in school hours". Most days I pick up my two younger children at their school and take them home for snack or with a friend to play. I then return calls, answer emails, or prepare for a TV segment. My nanny happens to be a great cook so while I help with homework or do my own work, she often makes dinner. We sit down as a family for dinner almost every night, except for Saturdays which is my date night with my husband. Then there is the blur of baths, homework, snack and bedtime reading and talks. I am often a bit wiped by the time my kids are in bed but energized by getting to talk with my best friend...my husband.
Samantha: What is your childcare situation?
Gail: I have a most wonderful, lovely and super competent nanny without whom I could not do it all. She lives out but stays fairly long days.
Samantha: As a Psychoanalyst, do you put more pressure on yourself to have a balanced life?
Gail: I often feel internal pressure to get it all "right." After all, shouldn't the shrink have the answers? But the truth is I make mistakes like everyone else. I don't think a lot about balance per se. I think that life is short and I really want to get the most out of it and that I am most satisfied when I am getting to do a lot of things that matter to me. My family matters most, but I want to have a career as well and feel that it is a good role model for my girls. I do give up some opportunities because I feel they would take me away from home too much and would compromise my parenting. At this point, I don't really feel the need for down time because I get a lot of gratification from what I am doing.
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