Work-Life Balance: Is It a Myth or Reality?
Today was a hot day… extremely hot!!!
I could have stayed at home. I had no obligations to work … but, I said yes to helping at the event.
Why in the world would I do that?
I'm not too fond of heat … I feel sick in the stomach, cramps … but I said yes to helping at the event.
Why did I agree to turn up when I knew this was the day of the week we spent time as a family and got things done at home?
A part of me wanted to stay home, be with my family, get all the hundred million things done at home and find time to relax. While the other wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to learn and experience something new.
The things I could have accomplished if I were to stay at home:
- Cook a nice meal or two
- Do laundry and fold some washing
- Clean the toilets
- Sort some paperwork
Things I overlook when I put the above list together:
- Spending time with the kids
- Have the beautiful moments between prepping meals when hubby comes and kisses you.
- My kid's random hugs
- Breaking sibling fights
- Life lessons I squeeze in for kids while folding and washing
- List is endless
What did I achieve while volunteering?
- I stumbled upon some good old friends.
- I learnt about the ceremony and what makes it successful from the other end.
- I got the opportunity to witness families cheering for their loved ones.
- I was able to strengthen my professional relations.
What did I learn from the event as a manager?
- How to keep a running sheet of the event.
- How to be a leader and ask people to come up with ideas that could work to enable the best outcome.
- How to start a conversation with people you have just met, ask them meaningful questions, and learn from them.
- How to show appreciation to your team members.
Is work-life balance a myth or reality?
Working full-time, and being a wife and a mum, I have found that you cannot balance and always give an equal share to each. This balance works in a cycle.
At one given time, you will pay more attention towards your work and give just the bare minimum to your family. While there will be times when you are more invested in your family life while just keeping afloat your work life.
Every individual needs to find that cycle, which might be temporary and changing constantly.
The above might not be true for some, while others are super humans and can achieve extraordinary things with little or no help.
However, a few like me feel blessed to have a spouse we can depend on as we cannot do it alone.
Let me know if you have had experiences like these.
