I worked hard and long. But I always returned home not contended with that day’s work and hungry for more. That satisfaction at work made my home life enjoyable. I found time to play badminton and volleyball. Work and life were perfectly balanced.
Wanted to share some thoughts on the topic of work life balance that @Kishoreciyer1 brought up and on which @wataboutery so eloquently expounded.
Early in my career I was lucky enough to work in roles I loved and under nurturing managers who were my mentors. (Contd)
This has taken efforts, and these notes aren't preaching, but somethings I practise sincerely, because of what I said in the opening tweet: this is a topic that is very close to my heart!
— Deontological Vijayalakshmi (@wataboutery) December 27, 2020
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I worked hard and long. But I always returned home not contended with that day’s work and hungry for more. That satisfaction at work made my home life enjoyable. I found time to play badminton and volleyball. Work and life were perfectly balanced.
I couldn’t wait to go to work. Great team and good manager.
But as I got married and responsibilities increased demands on my time grew, especially as just married man helping my wife acclimatize with US.
I sought work - life balance because ..everyone seeks, right?
As luck would have it 9/11 happens, economy goes for a tail spin, and my company files for bankruptcy. So time to buckle up.
This is when I realized work life balance isn’t what I sought. I wanted a satisfying work that did not require me to compromise key personal goals
Working hard to keep up the morale in a company in bankruptcy isn’t easy. But that gave my career a mission.
When you are passionate about your work and committed to it, and have a good manager you can find ways to be effective without compromising your personal life
Then I decided to do my part time MBA which took the balancing act to whole another level. With a newborn baby, heavy work load and part time Masters!
Those 30 months I was put through the fire but it taught me what I could do and who I was.
Doing part time masters (not sponsored by employer) still requires one to make sure to deliver at work what one must/ could.
I however learnt that the mistake people make is they want everything- not balance. I realized that I had unreal expectations of career growth.
I realized that balancing of commitments at work, family and community meant one must know what one wants from each.
This set me free to be honest with myself. It allowed me to find a job where I had accountability, very little supervisory role so i could focus on things
I stopped chasing promotions, sought positions that had solid impact on the company.
With two kids now I wanted to be there with them growing up not slogging away 70+ hour weeks chasing promotions (yes once I spent 18 months working 60-75 hrs on avg).
I found brands I liked, believed they play a role in society that I was proud of, took up only roles with managers that I looked up to and felt they genuinely cared about cust & emp.
Once I set clear expectations on what was important to me, choice of companies clear
Full circle back to jobs that allowed fulfilling professional life and keeping up commitments to personal life.
Some simple take aways
1. There is no free lunch
2. Can’t have everything so figure out what’s important
3. Be professional and honest on what’s possible/ not
4. There will be peaks when work will take up more of your time and energy. Find a way to work but not drop the ball at home.
5. There will be times when life will demand more but ensure work never suffers. Work with manager and colleagues.
6. The test of your professional network will be how you can smartly get things done while juggling so much and leverage every resource you have there.
7. Same thing at home. Become efficient. Use tech, outsource what can be outsourced to maximize time with family.
8. Be content with the rewards of a balanced set up. Promotions or titles aren’t everything.
9. Seek meaningful roles at work that allow you to be a good parent/ spouse/ child while earning enough to meet your needs and some wants
Thanks for reading the rambling stream
@Kishoreciyer1 - a clear eyed realist and saying it like it is.
@GunduHuDuGa who is a good example of how to balance career and personal / Dharmic responsibilities
