In e na ional Jou nal o Social Science and Human Resea ch
ISSN (p in ): 2644-0679, ISSN (online): 2644-0695
Volume 08 Issue 10 Oc obe 2025
DOI: 10.47191/ijssh / 8-i10-15, Impac ac o - 8.007
Page No: 7675- 7682
IJSSHR, Volume 08 Issue 10 Oc obe 2025 www.ijssh .in Page 7675
The Midnigh Hus le o Vi ual Assis an Pa en s: A Phenomenological S udy
Ma ia Romina Sajulan
Sama S a e Uni e si y
ABSTRACT: Vi ual assis ance has become a signi ican sou ce o income in he Philippines, pa icula ly o pa en s in sea ch o
lexible employmen oppo uni ies. Among hem, i ual assis an pa en s wo king he g a eya d shi ace dis inc challenges as
hey s i e o ul ill p o essional obliga ions while simul aneously managing childca e and household esponsibili ies. This
quali a i e s udy employs a phenomenological app oach o explo e he li ed expe iences o i ual assis an pa en s, wi h pa icula
a en ion o how hey na iga e he demands o noc u nal employmen alongside hei amilial oles. Da a we e collec ed h ough in-
dep h in e iews and analyzed o iden i y key eme gen hemes: Bu den o G a eya d Wo k, Nego ia ing Time and Roles, and
Ca ying he Load wi h Ca e. Findings highligh he esilience and adap i e s a egies o i ual assis an pa en s, who u ilize ime
managemen , lexible ole alloca ion, and coping mechanisms o main ain a wo k-li e balance despi e he challenges associa ed
wi h nigh shi wo k. These challenges p ima ily include ad e se e ec s on physical heal h, in e pe sonal ela ionships, emo ional
well-being, and p oduc i i y unde p essu e. The s udy u he unde sco es he impo ance o suppo sys ems in sus aining his
uncon en ional wo k a angemen . Thus, his esea ch con ibu es o he b oade discou se on emo e wo k, pa en ing, and non-
s anda d employmen hou s, o e ing insigh s o de eloping policies ela ed o labo p o ec ions and amily- iendly wo kplace
p ac ices.
KEYWORDS: i ual assis an , emo e wo k, pa en s, g a eya d shi , noc u nal employmen
INTRODUCTION
The ise o wo k- om-home and emo e wo k has b ough a signi ican impac o he mode n wo k o ce, wi h i ual assis an s
playing a c ucial ole in suppo ing businesses ac oss a ious indus ies. Among hem a e pa en s who, d i en by inancial necessi y
and he lexibili y o emo e wo k, na iga e he challenges o balancing hei p o essional and pa en al esponsibili ies. A i ual
assis an is an independen con ac o who p o ides adminis a i e suppo o clien s while wo king emo ely, a he han om he
clien ’s o ice (Ka nik, 2024). Acco ding o G a es and Ka abaye a (2020), i ual assis an s— esponsible o asks such as
adminis a i e suppo , cus ome se ice, con en managemen , and echnical assis ance—a e inc easingly p e alen ac oss
p o essional, scien i ic, and echnical se ice sec o s due o ad ancemen s in digi al pla o ms and communica ion echnologies.
This employmen model o e s lexibili y and accessibili y, making i an a ac i e op ion o pa en s seeking o balance wo k and
amily li e.
Exis ing esea ch highligh s bo h he bene i s and challenges o being a wo king pa en . Acco ding o he Pew Resea ch
Cen e (2013), 38% o wo king pa en s eel ha balancing wo k and pa en ing has made i ha de o hem o be good pa en s.
Addi ionally, lexible wo k a angemen s ha e been shown o help pa en s adjus hei schedules o achie e be e wo k-li e balance
(Songsayongs & Iamampo n, 2020). Fu he mo e, Pa il e al. (2024) emphasize ha he widesp ead adop ion o emo e wo k is one
o he mos signi ican ans o ma ions ede ining adi ional no ions o wo kspaces.
Howe e , he e ec s o emo e wo k on wo k-li e balance and employee p oduc i i y a e mul i ace ed and complex.
Fe nandes (2022) no ed ha while emo e wo k o e s lexibili y, i can also dis up pe sonal-p o essional bounda ies, wi h key
ac o s in luencing p oduc i i y including echnology and communica ion. Addi ionally, Flo es (2019) iden i ied key challenges in
emo e wo k, including isola ion, communica ion ba ie s, and wo k-li e balance s uggles, highligh ing he impo ance o
implemen ing clea communica ion s a egies and employe suppo sys ems o imp o e emo e wo k expe iences.
Fo pa en s wo king as i ual assis an s, pa icula ly du ing e ening o nigh shi s, addi ional challenges a ise.
Weinshenke (2018) obse ed ha pa ne ed mo he s who wo k emo ely, speci ically a nigh , epo highe li e sa is ac ion when
hey do so o pe sonal easons. Howe e , his e ec is no e iden among single mo he s o pa ne ed a he s. Fu he mo e, Kaise ,
Li, and Pollmann-Schul (2017) ound ha when bo h mo he s and a he s wo k a nigh , hei child en a e mo e likely o show
emo ional and beha io al p oblems. This e ec seems o be pa ly explained by pa en s adop ing s ic e and mo e con olling
pa en ing s yles.
Heal h consequences a e also a conce n o people who wo k g a eya d shi s. Dumon and Paque (2014) examined ha
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consecu i e days o simula ed nigh shi s esul in a decline in mela onin le els, which nega i ely impac s sleep quali y, cogni i e
unc ion, and o e all well-being. Simila ly, Po e e al. (2016) highligh ed ha dis up ions o he ci cadian sys em ha e p o ound
me abolic consequences, emphasizing he need o in e en ions o ealign he ci cadian sys em and imp o e sleep quali y.
Despi e hese challenges, job sa is ac ion emains a c i ical ac o in luencing p oduc i i y among i ual assis an s. Ve o
e al. (2025) es ablished a signi ican posi i e ela ionship be ween job sa is ac ion and p oduc i i y among i ual assis an s—
indica ing ha as job sa is ac ion inc eases, so does p oduc i i y. This sugges s ha indi iduals who expe ience highe le els o
ul illmen , mo i a ion, and job sa is ac ion a e mo e likely o demons a e enhanced pe o mance and g ea e e iciency in hei
asks.
While exis ing li e a u e explo es he economic con ibu ions and gene al challenges o online wo k, he e is a clea gap in
exis ing esea ches ega ding he li ed expe iences o i ual assis an pa en s and hei li ed expe iences in wo king nigh shi s,
pa icula ly in balancing wo k esponsibili ies wi h pa en al li e.
This phenomenological s udy del es in o he li ed expe iences o i ual assis an pa en s, unco e ing he silen s uggles
and unseen esilience o hose who powe he global digi al economy om hei homes du ing nigh shi s. By explo ing hei
na a i es, he esea ch aims o shed ligh on he complexi ies o balancing p o essional esponsibili ies wi h pa en ing, o e ing
insigh s in o he challenges and coping mechanisms inhe en in his dual ole.
The indings will con ibu e o discussions on sus ainable emo e wo k p ac ices and labo p o ec ions. Addi ionally, his
quali a i e s udy aligns wi h he Uni ed Na ions Sus ainable De elopmen Goal (SDG) 8, which ad oca es o decen wo k and
economic g ow h. Th ough a deepe unde s anding o he eali ies aced by i ual assis an pa en s, his s udy seeks o in o m
policies and wo kplace s a egies ha p omo e a mo e inclusi e and suppo i e digi al wo k o ce
OBJECTIVES
This s udy aims o explo e he li ed expe iences o i ual assis an pa en s wo king he g a eya d shi , ocusing on he
challenges, coping s a egies, and impac on hei wo k-li e balance and o e all well-being.
Speci ic Objec i es: Speci ically, his s udy in ends o:
1. To examine he p o essional and pe sonal challenges aced by i ual assis an pa en s wo king he g a eya d shi ,
including hei e ec s on hei heal h, ela ionships, and p oduc i i y.
2. To analyze how i ual assis an pa en s na iga e ime managemen , pa en al esponsibili ies, and well-being while
sus aining hei p o essional oles.
3. To iden i y he coping mechanisms and suppo sys ems ha enable i ual assis an pa en s o main ain wo k-li e balance
and mi iga e he challenges nigh shi wo k.
METHODOLOGY
This chap e will p esen se e al esea ch p ocesses ha enclose he me hodological aspec s o he s udy, om esea ch design o
esea ch me hod ha will u he discuss he da a analysis and e hical conside a ions.
Resea ch Design
This quali a i e s udy adop ed a phenomenological esea ch app oach o examine he li ed expe iences o i ual assis an
pa en s wo king he g a eya d shi . Phenomenology, as de ined by Flood (2010), is a philosophical a i ude and esea ch app oach
ha holds ha he deepes human u hs can only be unde s ood h ough pe sonal expe ience and ha indi iduals a e deeply
connec ed o hei su oundings. The s udy aims o unco e he nuanced eali ies aced by i ual assis an pa en s, ocusing on he
in e sec ion o hei p o essional esponsibili ies and pa en al du ies.
The main objec i e o his s udy is o del e in o he unique challenges and coping mechanisms ha hese wo ke s employ,
pa icula ly wi hin he cons ain s o noc u nal employmen
and
amilial
obliga ions.
As
Ge gen
e
al. (2015) a gue,
phenomenology
p o ides an in aluable lens h ough which esea che s can access he subjec i e expe iences o pa icipan s, o e ing ich insigh s
in o he social, psychological, and emo ional dimensions o hei li es. By in e iewing i ual assis an pa en s who wo k he
g a eya d shi , he s udy explo ed how hey na iga e hei p o essional asks while managing childca e, domes ic esponsibili ies,
and main aining pe sonal well-being.
Pa icipan s
This s udy u ilized non-p obabili y sampling, speci ically pu posi e sampling, o ensu e he inclusion o indi iduals wi h
ele an expe iences and cha ac e is ics. Acco ding o S ewa (2024), pu posi e sampling enables esea che s o in en ionally
selec pa icipan s based on speci ic popula ion cha ac e is ics and he objec i es o he s udy. The pa icipan s in his s udy me he
ollowing c i e ia: 1) cu en ly employed as emo e i ual assis an s wo king he g a eya d shi , 2) a pa en wi h a leas one child
aged 18 yea s o younge unde hei ca e, 3) a minimum o one yea o expe ience wo king he g a eya d shi , and 4) a willingness
o pa icipa e and sha e hei li ed expe iences. This selec i e app oach acili a ed a comp ehensi e explo a ion o he pa icipan s'
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unique pe spec i es on balancing p o essional esponsibili ies du ing he nigh shi wi h pa en ing du ies du ing he day.
In his s udy, da a sa u a ion was eached a he en h pa icipan , a which poin addi ional in e iews yielded no new
insigh s, he eby ensu ing ha no c i ical in o ma ion was o e looked (Gues e al., 2006). Sa u a ion also se ed as an indica o o
sample adequacy, as no u he ele an da a we e an icipa ed. Acco ding o Gues e al. (2006), sa u a ion occu s when no addi ional
hemes o insigh s can be iden i ied, and u he coding becomes unp oduc i e. The a ainmen o da a sa u a ion in his s udy
con i med ha he da a collec ed we e su icien o p o ide a comp ehensi e unde s anding o he phenomenon.
Da a Ga he ing
Da a we e collec ed h ough semi-s uc u ed in e iews o explo e he li ed expe iences o i ual assis an pa en s. The
in e iews we e conduc ed bo h in pe son and ia Zoom, p o iding a com o able se ing ha encou ages open discussion. The
lexibili y o semi-s uc u ed in e iews, coupled wi h he accessibili y o online pla o ms, will allow esea che s o cap u e ich,
de ailed na a i es and enable pa icipan s o eely sha e hei expe iences (Kallio e al., 2016).
The in e iew guide was alida ed by an expe in he ield p io o da a collec ion o ensu e he alidi y and eliabili y o
he ins umen . Pa icipan s we e in o med abou he s udy’s pu pose and p ocess, and in o med consen was ob ained be o e he
in e iews, including app o al o eco ding and ansc ip ion. Da a collec ion con inued un il sa u a ion was achie ed, ensu ing a
comp ehensi e unde s anding o pa icipan s’ na a i es. The eco ded in e iews we e ansc ibed e ba im, and hema ic analysis
was employed o in e p e he indings.
Da a Analysis
The da a ga he ed in his s udy we e analyzed using Mous akas' (1994) Modi ied S e ick-Colaizzi-Keen Me hod, a
commonly employed app oach in anscenden al phenomenology. This me hod was chosen o p o ide a s uc u ed and in-dep h
unde s anding o he li ed expe iences o i ual assis an pa en s wo king he g a eya d shi . This includes he ollowing: 1)
ansc ip ion; 2) epoché (b acke ing); 3) iden i ica ion o signi ican s a emen s; 4) emo al o edundan da a; 5) clus e ing o ela ed
Meanings; 6) ex u al desc ip ions (Wha Was Expe ienced); 7) s uc u al desc ip ions (How I Was Expe ienced);
8) syn hesis.
E hical Conside a ions
The esea che is commi ed o adhe ing o e hical p inciples ha p io i ize he well-being o pa icipan s. E hical
conside a ions include he p o ec ion o pa icipan s and conduc ing esea ch in acco dance wi h es ablished e hical s anda ds
(Pie ilä). A undamen al e hical p inciple is ensu ing ha pa icipan s olun a ily engage in he esea ch, wi h a clea unde s anding
o he na u e and scope o hei in ol emen (Xu, 2020).
In o med consen is a key aspec , ensu ing pa icipan s ecei e su icien in o ma ion o make an in o med decision abou
hei pa icipa ion, ee om coe cion. Pa icipa ion is en i ely olun a y, and indi iduals ha e he igh o wi hd aw a any ime
wi hou acing ad e se consequences. Fu he mo e, he esea che mus emain igilan o signs o dis ess, and pa icipan s mus
be in o med ha hei da a will emain con iden ial (Walke , 2007). Ensu ing con iden iali y p o ec s pa icipan s' p i acy and
p e en s unau ho ized access o sensi i e in o ma ion.
The esea che adhe ed o he e hical guidelines ou lined by Gajja (2013), emphasizing hones y, openness, and
con iden iali y. All da a, esul s, and me hods we e epo ed accu a ely, wi hou mis ep esen a ion. Con iden iali y was main ained,
wi h pa icipan s' iden i ies and pe sonal in o ma ion secu ely p o ec ed. Addi ionally, he s udy adhe ed o p inciples o non-
disc imina ion, ensu ing ha all pa icipan s, ega dless o sex, ace, o e hnici y, we e ea ed ai ly and wi h espec . These e hical
conside a ions a e designed o uphold he in eg i y o he esea ch while sa egua ding he igh s and digni y o all indi iduals
in ol ed.
RESULTS
The s udy iden i ied h ee majo hemes om he da a analysis: (1) The Bu den o Nigh Shi , (2) Balancing Pe sonal and
P o essional Roles, and (3) Coping and Suppo Sys ems. Each heme p esen s an in-dep h look in o he expe iences o i ual
assis an pa en s du ing he nigh shi , suppo ed by ele an li e a u e and s udies. Toge he , hese hemes will shed ligh on he
mul i ace ed challenges, coping mechanisms, and sou ces o s eng h ha shape how hey manage hei pe sonal and p o essional
oles.
Theme 1: The Bu den o G a eya d Wo k
Pa icipan s consis en ly men ioned he nega i e impac o wo king he nigh shi on hei o e all well-being and wo k
pe o mance. Almos all o he in e iewees sha ed expe iences o dis up ed sleep, exhaus ion, anxie y, and inc easing p essu e, ye
hey emained p oduc i e despi e he a igue. The demands o g a eya d shi s, combined wi h household and pa en ing
esponsibili ies, o en esul ed in s ained ela ionships and physical and men al heal h issues.
Sub heme A: Physical and Men al Fa igue
Many pa icipan s showed ex eme i edness due o majo shi s in hei schedules, which we e comple ely up u ned, leading
o i egula sleep pa e ns. This o en esul ed in sleep dep i a ion, ension headaches, and muscle pain. These physical s ains we e
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equen ly accompanied by men al a igue, making i di icul o hem o concen a e and causing i i abili y ha some imes led o
emo ional exhaus ion.
“Physically, mabilis ako mapagod. Minsan pa ang wala na akong mo i a ion gumalaw.”
(Physically, I ge i ed easily. Some imes, I eel like I ha e no mo i a ion o mo e).
“I s a ed expe iencing ches pains and a igue. I hink i ’s because o he i egula sleep and cons an p essu e.”
“Men al heal h ko sob ang apek ado. Feeling ko palagi akong anxious a may imes na umiiyak ako kahi wala namang ason.”
(My men al heal h is badly a ec ed. I cons an ly eel anxious and he e a e imes I c y o no eason).
These indings a e suppo ed by Kazemi e al. (2017), who epo ed ha nigh shi wo k is associa ed wi h sleep dep i a ion,
sleepiness, educed cogni i e pe o mance, inc eased human e o , and a igue. Simila ly, Columbia Psychia y (2022) ound ha
insu icien sleep inc eases nega i e emo ional esponses o s ess and educes posi i e emo ional expe iences.
Sub heme B: S ained Rela ionships and Emo ional Toll
Many pa icipan s exp essed ha hei nigh shi wo k nega i ely a ec ed hei ela ionships wi h amily membe s,
pa icula ly hei pa ne s and child en. The lack o synch onized schedules o en led o limi ed quali y ime and communica ion
b eakdowns. Emo ional de achmen and i i abili y s emming om exhaus ion u he s ained hese ela ionships.
“I miss a lo o amily dinne s and bonding ime. Some imes my spouse ge s upse kasi pa ang wala ako sa mga impo an momen s.”
(...because i eels like I’m no he e du ing impo an momen s.)
“My kids some imes eel neglec ed kasi lagi akong ulog pagda ing nila sa bahay…” (...because I'm always asleep when hey ge
home.)
These accoun s highligh how he demands o nigh wo k dis up daily amily in e ac ions and con ibu e o emo ional
dis ance a home. Sil a and Cos a (2023) ound ha he impac s o shi and nigh wo k a e no limi ed o he wo ke s hemsel es
bu ex end o hei amilies. Simila ly, Boekho s and Bu ke (2017) hypo hesize ha high wo k in ensi y con ibu es o emo ional
exhaus ion, which may u he a ec pe sonal ela ionships.
Sub heme C: P oduc i i y Unde P essu e
Pa icipan s desc ibed he cons an p essu e o main ain p oduc i i y despi e expe iencing a igue, dis ac ions a home,
and shi ing pa en al du ies. The demands o nigh shi wo k equi ed sus ained men al ocus, o en wi hou adequa e es o eco e y
ime. Many exp essed eelings o being o e whelmed bu compelled o pe o m e icien ly o mee clien expec a ions and e ain
employmen .
“Kahi puya na puya na ako, kailangan ko pa in magdeli e kasi baka mawalan ako ng clien .”
(E en when I'm ex emely sleep-dep i ed, I s ill ha e o deli e because I migh lose a clien .)
“Minsan wala ka sa mood o sob ang pagod ka, pe o kailangan mo magpanggap na okay ka sa calls.”
(Some imes you’ e no in he mood o oo exhaus ed, bu you ha e o p e end e e y hing’s okay du ing calls.)
Sandi Mann (2004) no ed ha indi iduals a e expec ed o engage in signi ican emo ional managemen , con eying
app op ia e emo ions o clien s o cus ome s e en i hey do no genuinely eel hem, while supp essing inapp op ia e emo ions.
Winkle e al. (2024) ound ha employees o en use a ious coping mechanisms o manage wo k- ela ed s ess, suppo ing hei
abili y o emain in hei posi ions.
Theme 2: Balancing Pe sonal and P o essional Roles
Pa icipan s highligh ed he impo ance o suppo sys ems, sel -ca e s a egies, and pe sonal mo i a ion in managing he
demands o nigh shi wo k while ul illing hei pa en ing oles. Despi e he challenges, many elied on pa ne s, amily membe s,
and small es o a i e p ac ices o sus ain hei well-being and wo k pe o mance. This heme explo es how pa icipan s na iga ed
ca egi ing esponsibili ies and wo k p essu es h ough ex e nal suppo and in e nal esilience.
Sub heme A: Managing Time and Shi ing Roles
Da a show ha pa en s manage hei ime each day by shi ing oles— om wo king he g a eya d shi o pe o ming hei
pa en ing du ies du ing he day. Mos o hem desc ibed how hey ca e ully di ide hei ime o ul ill bo h p o essional and pa en al
esponsibili ies while s ill ying o ge adequa e sleep and es .
“I y o nap in he a e noon pa a may ene gy pa ako sa gabi and may o as din ako sa anak ko sa umaga.”
(I y o nap in he a e noon so I s ill ha e ene gy a nigh and can spend ime wi h my child in he mo ning.)
“Pinipili ko na mag-mul i ask. Minsan habang naglulu o, nag-aayos din ako ng epo .”
(I o ce mysel o mul i ask. Some imes while cooking, I’m also wo king on a epo .)
Majin e al. (2023) emphasized ha by adop ing and implemen ing app op ia e ime managemen s a egies, employees can
aspi e o achie e a mo e ha monious and ul illing in eg a ion o hei p o essional and pe sonal li es.
Sub heme B: Finding Balance be ween Wo k and Pa en ing
While ime managemen and mul i asking we e common s a egies, pa icipan s also e lec ed on he deepe challenge o
main aining emo ional p esence and connec ion in bo h hei oles. Finding balance was no jus abou i ing asks in o a schedule—
i was abou making su e nei he hei child en no hei wo k el neglec ed. Many desc ibed he in e nal p essu e o be ully p esen
o hei amilies despi e being physically and men ally d ained.
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“Inaayos ko schedule ko a ound sa school hou s nila. Tinu ulungan ko sila sa assignmen s bago ako pumasok.”
(I adjus my schedule a ound hei school hou s. I help hem wi h hei assignmen s be o e I log in o wo k.)
“I ha e a ou ine sa bahay. Sa umaga, I y o eally bond wi h my child en. Pagpumasok na sila sa school, yan ang
o as ng pag ulog ko. Sa gabi naman a e silang pakainin a ulongan sa kanilang mga assignmen s, ako naman mag-p epa e o
wo k.” (I ha e a ou ine a home. In he mo ning, I y o eally bond wi h my child en. When hey go o school, ha 's when I go o
bed. A nigh , a e eeding hem and helping hem wi h hei assignmen s, I p epa e o wo k.)
These esul s also align wi h s udies highligh ing he impo ance o e ec i e ime managemen in balancing pe sonal and
p o essional li e. In he s udy o Eddles on and Mulki (2015), hey s a ed ha lexible scheduling allows wo k- om-home (WFH)
pa en s o main ain hei wo k-li e balance.
Theme 3: Coping and Suppo Sys ems
Di e en coping mechanisms and suppo sys ems used by i ual assis an pa en s we e iden i ied in he da a analysis,
showing how each o hem managed he demands o he g a eya d shi while s ill ul illing hei household and pa en ing
esponsibili ies. These sel -de eloped s a egies and sou ces o suppo played an impo an ole in sus aining hei physical,
emo ional, and o e all well-being, allowing hem o ca y he bu den o dual oles wi h esilience.
Sub heme A: Coping Mechanisms
The esul s e ealed a ious coping s a egies used by i ual assis an pa en s o manage he s ess and emo ional demands
o balancing wo k in he cybe en i onmen wi h household and pa en ing esponsibili ies. These s a egies—including aking sho
naps, spending ime alone in a quie o cool space, medi a ing, engaging in ligh physical ac i i y, and cha ing wi h someone—help
c ea e a sense o con ol and s abili y, which educes s ess and p omo es o e all well-being.
“Kapag pagod na ako, I ake sho naps pa a mabuhayan kahi sagli lang.”
(When I ge i ed, I ake sho naps o echa ge e en jus o a while.) “Minsan, nag-mi-medi a e ako pa a ma- elax yung isip ko...”
(Some imes, I medi a e o elax my mind…)
The indings show he impo ance o coping s a egies in o e coming s ess and p essu e while ul illing pa en al and
p o essional esponsibili ies. Gaudioso, Tu el, and Galimbe i (2017) highligh ed ha e ec i e coping mechanisms can educe
exhaus ion and help indi iduals manage s ess and daily challenges mo e e ec i ely.
Sub heme B: Suppo Sys ems
Pa icipan s highligh ed he c i ical ole o suppo sys ems in sus aining hei abili y o balance wo k and amily
esponsibili ies. Mos o he pa icipan s c edi ed hei spouses, ex ended amily membe s, and e en online communi ies o
p o iding emo ional encou agemen , p ac ical help, o simply a sense o unde s anding and connec ion.
“Suppo om my husband eally helps. He encou ages me and eminds me why I s a ed his… Lagi siyang nandyan pa a ulungan
ako kahi pagod din. We wo k as a eam.”
(...He’s always he e o me e en when he’s i ed. We wo k as a eam.)
“I alk o my ellow VAs online kapag eeling d ained ako. Nakakagaan ng loob when you know he e a e people he e who
unde s and you.”
(...when I’m eeling d ained. I eels ligh e when you know he e a e people who unde s and you.)
Wa e e al. (2022) ound ha pa en al well-being is di ec ly linked o he le el o household suppo ecei ed. Simila ly,
Ga mendia e al. (2023) epo ed ha he posi i e expe ience o social suppo is associa ed wi h g ea e elaxa ion, which may lead
o a dec ease in emo ional exhaus ion and an inc ease in job sa is ac ion.
Figu e 1: Li ed Expe iences o Vi ual Assis an Pa en s Wo king he G a eya d Shi
The Midnigh Hus le o Vi ual Assis an Pa en s: A Phenomenological S udy
IJSSHR, Volume 08 Issue 10 Oc obe 2025 www.ijssh .in Page 7680
Figu e 1 shows he amewo k o he s udy “The Midnigh Hus le o Vi ual Assis an Pa en s: A Phenomenological S udy.” I
cap u es he hemes and sub- hemes ha e lec he expe iences o i ual assis an pa en s wo king nigh shi s. The s udy ou lines
hei jou ney om bu nou o adjus men and inally esilience. The amewo k s a s wi h The Bu den o G a eya d Wo k. This
pa highligh s hei ini ial challenges, which include Physical and Men al Fa igue, S ained Rela ionships, Emo ional Toll, and
P oduc i i y Unde P essu e. As pa icipan s aced hese di icul ies, hey mo ed in o he phase o Nego ia ing Time and Roles –as
hey looked o balance be ween wo k and pa en ing. This phase includes he sub- hemes Managing Time and Shi ing Roles and
Finding Balance Be ween Wo k and Pa en ing. This de elopmen leads o he heme Ca ying he Load wi h Ca e. This heme
shows hei esilience h ough Coping Mechanisms and a Suppo Sys em. The en i e amewo k illus a es how i ual assis an
pa en s adjus ed o he demands o nigh shi wo k and pa en ing –i highligh s he impo ance o ime managemen , ole nego ia ion,
and bo h in e nal and ex e nal suppo sys ems.
DISCUSSION
Vi ual assis an pa en s wo king he g a eya d shi ace signi ican challenges o hei heal h, ela ionships, and p oduc i i y due
o he demands o noc u nal labo and day ime pa en ing.
These challenges e lec no only physical exhaus ion and sleep dep i a ion bu also deepe emo ional s ain and ela ional
disconnec . Wo king a nigh dis up s he body’s na u al hy hm, as shown in Kazemi e al. (2017), who linked nigh wo k o
dec eased cogni i e pe o mance and inc eased human e o . In his s udy, pa en s epo ed no jus a igue bu emo ional numbness
and heigh ened anxie y—echoing Columbia Psychia y (2022), which highligh ed he emo ional oll o sleep dep i a ion.
Addi ionally, he lack o synch onous ime wi h amily c ea ed emo ional gaps and weakened amilial bonds, aligning wi h Sil a
and Cos a (2023) who emphasized ha nigh shi s a ec bo h he wo ke and he household. Compounding his is he p essu e o
emain p o essionally compe en while ba ling a igue, a bu den in ensi ied by he emo ional labo equi ed o “pe o m” a wo k
despi e in e nal exhaus ion (Mann, 2004). These o e lapping bu dens illus a e how g a eya d shi wo k c ea es an unsus ainable
hy hm ha comp omises bo h pe sonal and p o essional domains.
Despi e he s ain, i ual assis an pa en s de elop in en ional ime managemen s a egies and ole ansi ions o main ain
bo h wo k esponsibili ies and pa en ing du ies.
Ra he han gi ing in o he igidi y o hei ci cums ances, pa icipan s ac i ely made schedules ha allowed e en o small
ac ions ha main ained amily engagemen . These s a egies
we e
less
abou
achie ing
pe ec ion and mo e abou dynamic
adjus men —sleeping in segmen s, bonding du ing ea ly hou s, o mul i asking h ough household ou ines.
This con i ms Majin e al. (2023)’s inding ha ime-managemen lexibili y can os e be e combina ion o wo k and
pe sonal li e. Howe e , he balance hey a e looking was no jus logis ical, i was also emo ional. Many emphasized he impo ance
o being men ally and emo ionally p esen o hei child en—an impo an ac o o pa en ing ha canno be measu ed in hou s bu
in a en i eness. Eddles on and Mulki (2015) a gue ha lexible scheduling enhances pa en al ole, which esona es wi h
pa icipan s’ e o s o adjus hei schedules and ou ines a ound hei child en’s needs. The ension be ween a igue and p esence
unde sco es how i ual assis an pa en s s i e no jus o “do i all,” bu o “be he e” meaning ully.
Coping mechanisms and social suppo sys ems a e cen al o i ual assis an pa en s’ abili y o sus ain hei dual oles and
p ese e well-being.
Pa icipan s demons a e sel -ini ia ed coping s a egies— om sho naps and es o s uc u ed daily ou ines— ha
os e ed a sense o con ol amids s ess. This e eals p oac i e s ance owa d s ess, a he han a eac i e s ance. Gaudioso e al.
(2017) suppo he idea ha in e nal s a egies can educe s ess and exhaus ion o wo ke s. A he same ime, ex e nal suppo
sys ems played a c ucial ole. Emo ional encou agemen om hei amily and iends and a sense o sha ed expe ience in online
communi ies allowed he i ual assis an pa en s o eel seen. Wa e e al. (2022) and Ga mendia e al. (2023) bo h emphasize ha
social suppo co ela es wi h educed emo ional exhaus ion and g ea e job sa is ac ion. The combina ion o sel -ca e and suppo
sys em e lec s a dual ancho —in e nal and ex e nal— ha makes i possible o i ual assis an pa en s o con inue ul illing hei
oles despi e he demands o g a eya d shi wo k.
The ga he ed expe iences o he i ual assis an pa en s highligh s he u gen need o s uc u al solu ions. While indi idual
s a egies and suppo ne wo ks o e elie , hey do no eplace he necessi y o esponsi e o ganiza ional policies. Flexible clien
expec a ions, men al heal h suppo , and ins i u ional acknowledgmen o pa en ing oles wi hin emo e wo k en i onmen s a e
impo an . Wi hou such sys ems, i ual assis an pa en s emain dependen on pe sonal endu ance—a esou ce ha , as his s udy
shows, is o en s e ched o i s limi .
CONCLUSION
The indings o his s udy con ibu e o he g owing li e a u e on he non- adi ional and emo e wo k especially ega ding he li ed
expe iences o he i ual assis an pa en s. While i ual assis an pa en s used a ious coping s a egies, such as ime managemen ,
emo ional egula ion, and suppo sys ems, he physical, emo ional, and ela ional bu dens o g a eya d shi wo k we e s ill p esen
and deeply seen. These challenges o en caused a igue, s ained amily ela ionships, and a cons an s uggle jus o s ay p oduc i e.
The Midnigh Hus le o Vi ual Assis an Pa en s: A Phenomenological S udy
IJSSHR, Volume 08 Issue 10 Oc obe 2025 www.ijssh .in Page 7681
This aligns wi h p e ious s udies by Jin e al. (2024) and Ha (2021), which highligh he long- e m impac o nigh shi wo k.
Al hough he ocus o his s udy was on challenges and adap a ion, some pa icipan s ecognized bene i s, like income
s abili y and he abili y o wo k om home. As no ed by Saleem and Khan (2024), emo e g a eya d wo k can p o ide p ac ical
ad an ages o pa en s when he e a e su icien pe sonal and s uc u al suppo s. O e all, he indings indica e ha while g a eya d
wo k poses signi ican challenges, i migh be mo e sus ainable when combined wi h lexible wo k a angemen s, men al heal h
esou ces, and ins i u ional suppo . Mo eo e , wo kplace in e en ions ha p io i ize wo k-li e balance, educe social isola ion, and
imp o e o e all well-being a e c ucial o lessen he nega i e e ec s o his job se up, especially o wo king pa en s.
RECOMMENDATION
Based on he indings o his s udy, i is ecommended ha companies—pa icula ly hose employing i ual assis an s—de elop
and implemen a ge ed suppo p og ams ha add ess he unique challenges aced by g a eya d shi wo ke s who a e also pa en s.
These may include: (a) a comp ehensi e wellness p og am o mi iga e he physical and men al e ec s o i egula sleep pa e ns;
(b) speci ic in e en ions o pa en s managing dual oles o nigh ime wo k and day ime ca egi ing; (c) he es ablishmen o i ual
communi ies o p o ide pee suppo and educe eelings o isola ion; and (d) ins i u ional policies ha p io i ize employee well-
being, including adjus men s ha add ess bo h men al and physical s ess.
Companies should also e isi and e ise hei o ganiza ional s uc u es and policies o align wi h he condi ions and labo
s anda ds o he coun ies whe e hei i ual assis an s a e based. Doing so may help alle ia e he bu dens caused by ime zone
di e ences, lack o suppo sys ems, and inadequa e es pe iods.
Las ly, i is ecommended ha u u e esea ch explo e he long- e m impac o g a eya d shi wo k on amily
dynamics and ca ee p og ession. Compa a i e s udies be ween day-shi and nigh -shi i ual assis an s, as well as c oss-
egional analyses, may o e deepe insigh s and b oaden he unde s anding o i ual assis an pa en s' li ed expe iences.
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