Reading 03

Based on the readings and from my own life experiences, I believe that there it is very difficult to find, and maintain, a proper work-life balance. While I do believe that is very possible to find the happy medium between the two, I understand that in our lives we are forced to make sacrifices. For example, in order to stand out at work, often times one must put in extra hours to be noticed and to be able to work one's way up the ladder of power and prestige in a corporation. These extra hours going into the office early or leaving the office late cut into family and leisure time and can create stress and friction between the individual and their loved ones. However, this sacrifice of time to get ahead in work frequently pays off in the end as increased benefits come alongside promotions. These promotions help individuals support their families, and ultimately help ensure that one can have a good work-life balance in the later stages of their career.
Anand Ilyer’s article “The Work-Family Imbalance” stated some interesting facts. For example, 46 percent of fathers and 23 percent of mothers say that they do not spend enough time with their children due to work. These numbers are in no way acceptable, as child-parent relationships play a major role child development. In addition to making a statement on child care, it also is interesting to see how these numbers compare to the ratio of men to women in the labor force.
To me, “having it all” means to enjoying your job, being proud of your professional status and goals, and for that career to provide you with what you need (free time and financial resources) to enjoy your leisure time with family and friends. A big component of this is for me is to have a passion for whatever career path you are following. A phrase that I have often heard is that if you enjoy and are passionate about your job, it is not really work. Regardless of how well you are paid, if you truly love what you are doing, everything else will work itself out.
While I have not necessarily dealt with burnout in the sense of work or a job, I would say that every student at our university goes through it yearly. There is always the point in a semester when students are stressed out about upcoming due dates for projects, papers, and exams. Some of the ways in which students like myself manage this stress is by exercising and spending time with friends. Later on in my career, I plan to do the same when facing fast approaching deadlines. Time management is key and the importance of taking periodic breaks from work is often overlooked. It is nearly impossible to preform your best when you mind is burnt out from all of the work that you do. Some ways in which schools and business help individuals avoid this burnout are with mandating breaks, providing paid vacation time, requiring lunch or meal time, having mentors and psychosocial resources for employees who need guidance and support. I believe that burnouts can be avoided by staying on top of your schedule, planning ahead, and taking advantage of resources for help with your work or leisure, and by not being afraid to admit that you need assistance from time to time to stay on top of your game.

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