It has always been a Herculean task for women to balance their personal and professional lives. With more and more women opting for an aggressive professional life, it is becoming particularly challenging to juggle multiple roles, but resilience and mindful planning is the key to productivity. The woman of today wants it all- a happy family, personal and financial independence and professional gratification. It is a tall order indeed but achievable with some careful planning. To begin with, we as women, need to prioritize and identify clearly what is non- negotiable. If it is career progression, build a support system on the domestic front or being an entrepreneur. Let your spouse know that he needs to pitch in to support your career aspirations by sharing tasks – be it the responsibility of looking after the children or help in running. of the household. Let us not reel under guilt pangs imagining that domestic chores or children are the sole responsibility of women. After all Adam was equally responsible as Eve for the beautiful family that he takes pride in! Elicit support from other members of the family- the in-laws or parents, who are generally more than happy to help. Find good domestic help- who says you have to rough it out, doing dishes or toiling in the kitchen?
Next, seek support from your employers by letting them know with complete transparency that a certain degree of flexibility is required, once in a way to meet your commitment towards your family. If this does not work, look at alternative solutions on how to manage by listing them down At work, delegate tasks that someone else reporting to you can handle – do not try playing the superwoman as it can stress you out so completely- emotionally and physically and maybe the cause of an imminent breakdown! At work, do not allow distractions like gossiping with co-workers, net surfing or checking mails to bog you down. It takes away a precious slice of your valuable time.
Demarcate clearly your personal and professional lives – do not carry work home or carry worries of home to work – lest both should adversely affect your performance. When at home, try giving your undivided attention to your family. Remember, they rely on you for emotional sustenance and support and will be around for you – unconditionally, always. Do not believe the naysayers who insist that women must choose between the work and family commitments and give up their careers Though the pursuit of balance can itself be exhausting, it is achievable to some degree with the right planning if you do not allow others to tell you that after an arduous workday you “should” dice up vegetables and Instagram your smiling toddlers. Finally, do not beat yourself up striving to balance work and life, it might be better to simply embrace the imbalance, sometimes!
