The Sandwich Generation: Holding Everyone Together While Trying Not to Fall Apart
- By Mandi Gunsberger, CEO of Nourish Travel
Being human is messy, beautiful, and endlessly surprising. At Ponti Health, we believe in seeing the whole picture—the contradictions, the breakthroughs, the perfectly imperfect journey of it all.
That's why we're excited to share these stories from some remarkable humans who've become dear friends along the way. Each journal captures something we couldn't quite put into words until we read it. We have a feeling you'll experience that same moment of recognition—that quiet "yes, exactly" that reminds us we're all figuring this out together. Ponti Health.
Burn-Out is very real and something we see EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. This article resonated with so many of us and we had to add it to our Journals. The words ring so true and resonates.
I never thought I’d spend my 40s doing back-to-back Zooms, helping with school assignments, managing doctors’ appointments for my Mum, building a business and squeezing in speaking engagements or board meetings (sometimes in the car outside school pick up or the hospital), all in the same week. And I know I’m not alone…
They call it the Sandwich Generation, caught between raising kids and caring for aging parents, but sometimes it feels more like the pressure cooker generation!
I have three daughters (12, 17, 19), a Mother in her 80s who now needs significant support, and a business I’m deeply invested in. I also mentor entrepreneurs, serve on boards, and occasionally remember to eat breakfast.
Oh, and I must not forget to mention, I’m perimenopausal.
No one warned me that my brain would sometimes feel foggy, that my emotions would change with no warning, or that sleep would ghost me (I’m writing this article at 2:12am), all while trying to stay focused on work and remember the time of my daughter's netball game on Saturday morning.
It’s a lot.
Burnout - here’s what this looks like in real life:
Reviewing a pitch deck one minute, while the next I’m on the phone with Mum’s GP about aged care.
Packing for a retreat while answering family group texts about dinner and whether the dog’s been fed.
Tag-teaming drop-offs with my husband and calling it romance when one of us puts a load of washing on.
Lying down for a pap smear and realising the act of lying down feels like a treat as it’s the closest thing I’ve had to a massage in months.
Crying because I can’t find a charger, not because I’m fragile, but because I’m utterly fried.
But here’s what I’m learning (and unlearning):
You can’t be everything to everyone.
But you can be something to the people who matter most, most of the time.
Support systems aren’t optional.
I’ve learned to ask for help from friends, family, and professionals.
Systems save your sanity.
Shared calendars, reminders, and Sunday night planning keep me on track. Even meals are planned, although some nights, when it all goes to hell, it’s takeaway without any guilt.
Letting go is a skill.
Some days the inbox wins. On other days, the family does. Perfection left the chat a long time ago.
Micro-moments matter.
A dip in the ocean. A 10-minute walk. A shared laugh. A quick text that says, “I’m thinking of you.”
You don’t have to prove your resilience to anyone.
Especially not at the expense of your own well-being.
Hormones are real.
It’s not all in your head. If you’re feeling off, emotional, forgetful, or overwhelmed, check your hormones. Talk to someone. You’re not broken. You’re in transition. And no one should suffer silently while trying to hold up everyone else.
I’m sharing this not because I have it all figured out, but because I don’t. And I know so many of you are holding similar invisible loads while trying to grow, build, support, and be everything at once.
To everyone else navigating these middle years, both male and female: You’re not alone. You’re not failing. You’re just stretched in ways no spreadsheet or diary can capture.
I’d love to hear from others, how are you managing the juggle? What’s helping you survive and thrive right now?
Now, to see if I can grab a couple of hours of sleep before the day begins again…
