Work life Balance

Recently one of my network friends posed a question on how I balance my work and life. This actually forced me to dig into my memories on how actually did I manage over all of my 23 years post marriage. I remember, after my first daughter, I became somewhat of a perfectionist. I always wanted things so perfect that I forgot to enjoy little things. Then, after a weary one year, on my husband's advice, I started to prioritize work based on 80 -20 principle.

There were things I would aim at 100 percent such as health and hygiene, rest I would trade off with small moments here and there to keep space in which I give vent to my creative side. This allowed me to pursue my multiple interests such as stitch dresses for my kids, make them soft toys, have surprise outings with family, help children with studies, do furniture painting, glass painting and many small things such as hand painting terracotta lamps for Diwali festival, the festival of lights in India, making lantern frames with colored butter paper and bamboo strips and so on. The challenge was to have my kids participate in these events, give them fun filled learning. This amounted to more quality time than ever. They developed keen sense of planning, design and an appetite to take on challenges, which is definitely reflecting now.

Though I studied project management much later, somehow I always planned activities on paper, identified and budgeted things to be shopped, planned sequence of their construction, at the same time, did things iteratively, so it took me 2-3 cycles to plan and identify sequence of things to do. While I executed two activities, I planned the two other. Keeping a list of things to do gave me perspective and prioritizing and re-prioritizing always helped absorb all un-expected events. I aimed at reviewing my list once before I would retire for the day, which made the next day easy on my nerves.

There are quite a few things that I could have done better. Cooking was one of them. Though my family resigned and adjusted their taste buds to my cooking, I know, things could have been better. I do see my younger daughter filling that gap. She tries to cook recipes and turn it into something that looks more like the picture in the cookbook.

I have tried this and believe it to be possible. As a working mother, in order to make most of whatever time I had with my family, I tried to turn even simple things into an event. So, for example, when we know there is a good movie on TV, we convert the time to be shared into an event and generate so much excitement preparing popcorns, cooking in advance or just call for a pizza, throw all cushions into place and sit together and watch the movie. I really enjoy taking up challenges, and I do put some thought into it to turn it into an event for my family wherein I share my challenges, take their inputs, give them ownership of some activities. Believe me, it’s a beautiful experience to see them rise to occasion and actually work as a team.

I prefer to relate work life balance with an investment, happy memories being the interest accrued. These memories always give strength to you at difficult times and people around you will wonder why and how can you smile against the odds.

Keep smiling.