I’ve been in a reflective mood, as we approach the half year mark of this (not-so-new) year. It would not be a surprise to those close to me to hear that I have been loving my life this year, because I talk about it All.The.Time. I thought it would be helpful to me, to reflect on why this year feels so different, what things I am actively doing that have helped me craft a life I love. 

Over the next few weeks, I will dedicate each weekly blog post to one area of change in my life, and why I think it has made a difference. I write these posts with humility and gratitude for the life I live. I am writing for myself, so I am reminded of the things I need to keep doing; and in the hopes that one or two of you may find a kernel of inspiration in my words. That will be the cherry on top. 

This week, let’s talk about: 

‘A GOOD WORK-LIFE BALANCE’

First let me start by saying there is no ideal work-life balance, it is a highly individualised state. What is a good work-life balance for me, is likely to be different for a mother of two little children. 

I like the description of a good work-life balance as ‘creating harmony between both areas of your life, in a way that promotes your physical, emotional, financial and mental well-being’.¹ It is about prioritising your work and personal lives equally.

For me, achieving a good work-life balance means crafting a life in which I feel content and fulfilled both in and outside of work. The fact that I work part-time certainly helps but if I spent my non-working days lying on the couch and watching TV all day, that would not feel like a good balance.

I am motivated and highly productive at work; I give it my all on the days I am at work. However I am careful to make every effort to limit work demands, worries and concerns to those hours. I have friends who work 12-hr days despite being paid to work 8 hrs, and spend their weekends in bed trying to recover from the stressful work week. I used to be that person! 

We often fail to see how the mental, physical or emotional demands of our jobs drain us of the energy to live, experience and enjoy other parts of our lives. I think it is important that we guard against this.

Me

The other half of this equation is doing things outside of work that gives us joy. I’m an avid hobbyist and over the years I have tried my hands at many things, from drawing and painting, to sewing, to jewellery making. I’m currently in my pottery phase. I have also become a plant mum (yes, this is a thing and now I totally get why people fuss over their plants!) and I’m working on improving my piano playing. These activities bring me a lot of pleasure and a sense of achievement on a daily basis. 

‘The goal is to stop chasing weekends and build a life I don’t need a break from’

Unknown

One doesn’t need to make significant changes, to start to tilt the scales in favour of a better work life balance. Here are three small changes you can make, to help you achieve a better work-life balance:

1. Understand and prioritise what is important to you: Do you know what ingredients you require in your day to day life to make your life satisfying or fulfilling? It may be starting a new hobby, spending more time with your loved ones or taking better care of yourself by eating healthier and exercising. Whatever it may be for you, figure out how you can adjust your daily or weekly routine to give you more of this in your life. Make it a goal and dedicate the same level of commitment to it as you would a work project. 
2. Set clear boundaries between work and personal life: Have clearly defined work hours and try not to let work spill into your personal hours. For example, you could start by committing to finishing on time on two out of the five work days each week. A much more achievable goal than aiming to do so five days a week right off the bat. Start small and experience success. Once you’ve managed this consistently, then challenge yourself to increase the number of days you finish on time. 
3. Learn to ask for help: How often do we place unhelpful expectations of ourselves that only serve to make our lives more stressful? Or we get trapped in this image of perfectionism – of being superman or superwoman to our families, friends or colleagues, and we end up suffering in silence? Try and let go of some of these; talk to someone and ask for help.

Achieving a good work-life balance is a marathon not a sprint. There will be some weeks when one part of your life demands more time and energy than the other. And that’s okay. 

This week for me, I have had to dedicate a lot of time and energy to my work life and it has meant other aspects of my life (like my blog) have suffered.  Although this is not the blog post I had intended to write, I am letting go of my perfectionist expectations, practising self-compassion and  giving myself permission to be perfectly imperfect. 

So I will stop here and not proofread the post for the umpteenth time. It’s time to go play the piano!

Do you have any tips or strategies that have helped you achieve a better work-life balance? I’d love to hear about them.

References

1. 6 Guaranteed Ways to Improve Work-Life Balance in 2023. https://novoresume.com/career-blog/work-life-balance 

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