Work Life Balance and Thoughts on the future.

Hello all,

This blog entry has been slightly delayed for two reasons. The first because I was back home for the weekend (stressful!) and the second because I wanted to be able to give some proper thought to this. Anyhow, this post focus's around the work life balance and the idea of a career.

Okay, so what is "work life balance". When someone asked me what sort of work life balance I had, i thought it was a round about way of asking was I on drugs. And thats the truth. I was new to London, and it struck me as maybe being like one of those weird sayings people say, just like "are you friends with Dorothy?"* Anyhow, as we all know, work life balance relates to how we balance our working and social life. This got me thinking...

First of all, I didnt know I had a work life balance. Sure I go out at the weekends and what ever, but I didnt know that this was called a WLB. Then I realised why. Most of the time, when I think of things, I think of actions, not "long term consequences". You may be able to see where this is going. For example, my social life and playing football to me were just individual activities, but ultimately they are part of a delicate balance. But Hang on! This does not seem natural. Think of the following few examples:

1. Binge Drinking: Is it actually possible to just go for a drink? Have two pints and it is a binge drink.

2. Learning something: Is it still possible to just learn something because I like to, or do we have to identify a development need?

3. Change your attitude: Do I change my attitude or do I now change my approach in order to meet my long term objectives.

Anyhow, I may be labouring a point, but essentially when I go for a drink, read a book or changing my attitude about something, I always felt these were isolated actions. But now they form part of my work life balance. Interestingly, I now minute plan my social life in outlook. I put social events, including football training in my outlook.

I find myself more effective at having fun if I plan and structure it. But does this in someway make it less fun? Or is this planning just part of the bigger picture that is necessary for me to adapt to? Like say....a Career?

This leads me on to the second part of this post. This is the first job I took as a career. Every other job has been taken out of necessity, interest or experience. However, my place on the Grad Programme is one that I took for the future and potential. This in itself is quite an alien concept to me.

My previous career planning was listening to a philosophy lecturer telling me that all the greatest philosophers were either tortured to death or committed suicide. Tough Break. But the point was I had no plan...

I had no plan and ended up here. But is that such a bad thing? I mean, I'm pretty happy with where I got to, I have had a blast at Uni and had a great time so far. So when certain important leaders in our institution and peoples whose opinion I value start telling me to get a plan for the future, the fact that my lack of planning so far has got me where I am happy to be makes me think - Do I really need a plan?

This then brings me full circle to my work life balance. I am more effective when I plan my fun side of my life, so if i plan my work side, will I be more effective at that too?

So thats my thoughts on the difficulty of carreer choice and balancing my working life. Of course, I couldnt end without a final remark.

Those greeat philosophers certainly didnt plan to be tortured, but they did plan to commit suicide. The phrase a rock and a hard place when it comes to plans springs to mind. Or as a certain actor once said " a plan is just a list of things that dont happen".

Good luck with your work life balance!

kindest,

D

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* I usuually reply, "no, she is my ex girlfriend". Lord knows what they infer from this.