Work life balance... is it real?
Shai Mizrahi
10 replies
How do you balance family life with work? Do you ever have to prioritize one over the other? Do you or your partner make any sacrifices?
Replies
Angi Bowman@lucky__angi
Lucky Orange
At an old job, I struggled with work/life balance. I was working 80+ hour weeks starting at 6:30 AM. I gained nothing. I only lost precious time with my family. Now that we're within grasp of high school graduation for my oldest, I regret not balancing it better.
In contrast, my current employer (Lucky Orange) makes family life a priority, and as a result, the balance is very comfortable. There's no shame in taking a day off to spend some time goofing off with your kids, and there's no guilt for leaving early to catch my kid's basketball game. There's no pressure to work overtime, and you don't get ahead by being a work martyr.
It helps that my husband works from home and is very engaged with our family. He handles the laundry and dishes on his breaks, and other than light cleaning we do as a family at night, we can really enjoy each other in the evening.
Based on the better work/life balance I'm more focused at work. I don't have to constantly be on, which maximizes my focus and productivity. The moment I leave, I can turn it off and focus on my family. For those rare instances where do have to work late or on weekends, there are typically many offers to help, and leadership will make sure that I come in late the next day.
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Tolstoy
@lucky__angi thanks for sharing your story, i think knowing that other people are going through this experience too makes it easier for me to visualize the kind of life i want to live. Awesome that your current company prioritizes that balance so much better, hope this is the new direction for companies 🙏
@lucky__angi @nimrod_popper I also hope this is the future of work, one that prioritises employee mental health
I feel like through certain times of my life I find new types of balances. Honestly in the summer I prioritize my life, I love being in the sun with friends and family, so I'm working more standard hours. But in the winter I actually find it comforting to be working hard with coworkers, so I take longer hours. In my early twenties my priorities were totally different than they are now, so I feel like balance will ebb and flow throughout my life.
@keren_brickman I agree with this - it's in my opinion one of the healthiest ways to approach balance - being open to different types of them for different contexts.
@keren_brickman I agree it might change through your life, but I think there will always be some sacrifices
@keren_brickman I'm the same way with the seasons! I live in Austin, TX so seasons are less stark, but on cloudy/rainy days I find myself getting lost in work, whereas on sunny days I cut myself off to get out of the house. The inconsistent weather here is definitely natures way of producing balance in my life - very appreciative of it.
I recommend checking out the book “Couples That Work” for some insight and ways to maintain relationships for two career driven people
It's is difficult. I do believe that in order to reach true balance, you need to accept that you can't do it all, and you need to learn how to prioritize. Resting during the weekend is key, as well as making sure not to schedule too many plans on weeknights.
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