There is a saying in the African Jungle – When the Sun rises in the morning, the slowest deer has to run faster than the fastest lion to see the evening and the slowest lion has to run little faster than the slowest deer to see the evening. So, whether you are a lion or a deer- when the Sun rises, you have to run.
All of us are running in this journey called life. But, there has to be a fruitful outcome and that should be –
- The journey should be BLISSFUL
- We should be SATISFIED with the way we lived our life
There cannot be a set formula for well lived, balanced life . Why? Because we all are different human beings having different lives and different perceptions about life. But, according to me the bottom line is –
“Life Is like a roller coaster ride.
Each one striving to keep the balance upright.
With ups and downs and surprises to unfold.
The true essence of life is in balance, we must behold.”
The four basic quadrants of human lives are –
- Work
- Family
- Friends
- Self
Work life balance is the term used to describe the balance that an individual needs between time allocated for work and other aspects of life, like personal interests, family and social or leisure activities.
All of us are engaged in doing one or the other kind of work to be at pace with the fast changing life today. Work life balance sounds ideal in theory, But, figuring out how to master it is always a challenge. We have been reading about work life balance for employees, organizations, businesses, working women. What about work life balance for home makers/ women on a career break/Women striving to get back to their profession? While they are not working in their respective field – they are exploring, learning and working in other areas of life which demand their attention at the moment.
Homemakers – whose work is equally challenging and demanding which require physical presence to complete any task. An e-mail won’t do! I started to realize this only when I took a break from work to fulfill my household responsibilities and looking after my child. It was then, I realized what and how my mother could do it all?
Let’s explore some ways to maintain work-life balance for such women, since their work is equally commendable.
- Prioritize your work
“First things first” – Make a to-do list each day. This helps you work efficiently.
“You Can Have It All. You Just Can’t Have It All At Once”- Oprah Winfrey
- Take short breaks
Remember that short break we used to get at school before the big lunch break? That really helped us to remain afresh for some time. Isn’t it? Similarly, take short breaks. You can also utilize this short break to spend quality time with your child. I have recently implemented this practice personally and it’s refreshing. I like playing Othello with my child and now he also looks forward to it.
- Outsource work
Whenever and wherever possible, take help. This will save your time and energy.
- Eat healthy, exercise daily
“Healthy mind resides in healthy body” – So, eat fresh and healthy food and do exercise daily to keep fit, as it further reflects in the family members.
- Find a ‘Me’ time
It is very important to spend some time with yourself. It makes you more productive and happy.
“We Need To Do A Better Job Of Putting Ourselves Higher On Our Own ‘To Do’ List”- Michelle Obama
- Be passionate, be dispassionate
Be passionate towards a work but at the same time be dispassionate enough to leave it so that you pay attention to other areas of life-family, friends and self.
- Set realistic goals in every areas of life.
Have a goal in life! Ofcoure that’s what keeps us moving and working. Analyse situations around and then set realistic goals which can be personal, professional, social, educational. But, do set a goal. It triggers the hard work towards achieving it maintaining that balance.
- Keep learning
What you are doing is the best. Be positive about it and never stop learning more. Keep reading more about your field so you are prepared to take up an opportunity when it knocks your door.
I am sure above points will help you. Believe me or not ladies, the same points will work wonders for you when you work for an organization. So, be it home front or work front – women can strike that much needed work life balance. Isn’t this art of balanced life worth mastering for? Kudos!
You may want to read other articles written by same author: ‘Be a child at heart, filled with self confidence‘ , ‘ Beware of Emotions (EI) ‘ .
About the author:
Vasudha has a post graduate degree in management and has three plus years of experience in the field of Human Resources. She has been a part time Yoga instructor. She is currently employed as a home maker and enjoys to spend quality time with her kids. She likes to explore new areas of learning.
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