Confession: I’m a workaholic. If I’m not working I’m thinking about work and if I’m thinking about work I’m feeling anxious.
My company is really big on work-life balance but it’s SO hard. They want us to feel like we can take vacation time, have flexible schedules, and come and go as needed and I really appreciate that.
At the same time, my department is always changing and growing which makes it hard to have coverage when I need it. My work has to get done on time so it can’t just wait until I get back.
I’ve mentioned before that I’m only 26 but have been working a paid job consistently for almost 10 years. That 10 years has been split between 2 companies, 6 years at one and nearly 4 years at the other. I am a hard worker and I like to stay at a job for as long as I can given that there are opportunities to advance.
My dedication to work has caused a big issue in my life though. Work quickly became my #1 priority and I’m having a hard time shaking that mentality.
My current dilemma is that I am senior in my department and potentially up for a promotion or two. As amazing as that is, I honestly don’t know what I want to do with my life and the thought of a promotion makes me question everything. Can I handle this new set of responsibilities?
All I know right now is that it’s time for me to re-evaluate my priorities. I don’t want to look back in 10 more years and only be able to say that I worked really hard. I want to remember times with Brett and our future family. I’d really like to find a balance before having kids.
How do you manage work-life balance?
Photo by Adeolu Eletu on Unsplash
Life of Hayley 
Thanks for sharing! It can be so hard to keep a work-life balance especially when working remotely! I’m a teacher and once we started remote learning, I had to set a lot of boundaries for myself and the students’ parents. I made sure to only work during work hours (8am-3pm). It was hard at first but I told myself that it would help my mental health in the long run! Good luck!
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Working from home as a teacher sounds so tough! My sister is also a teacher so I have heard her struggles with remote learning as well. Setting boundaries for yourself can be extremely helpful though and I really need to be better at it!
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What is your job? What type of work do you do? I’m probably not the best person to answer your question since I’m not in the corporate world. I’ve been in university for the past 8 years and haven’t worked much for the past decade. I’m currently working on my second undergraduate degree and I will be 29 soon. You are young and you have time.
In the past 10 years I’ve had 7 different jobs and lived in 3 different provinces, 4 different cities. The longest job I had lasted 7 months which was the only job I liked. My dad made me quit – I was working at a factory which I’ve known since I was little. I like fast-paced work which is weird because I’m a very lazy, sedentary person. Now I hope to work in a hospital one day but the thought of dealing with people scares me. Machines don’t talk back but people do and the veterinarian dream didn’t pan out. Unlike you, I don’t have much work experience and my resume is quite barren. I tried looking for work but nobody seems to be hiring just for the summer.
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I understand. I will pray for you. Leading towards a purposeful life.
But please begin to take vacation. It is when we remove the mental distractions, we can see a clear path to the direction we want to walk towards.
I am a workaholic as well. My dad had to tell me that I need to relax. I was working too much!
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Thank you! I have a virtual class and exam next week and then I’m taking some time off! I do think getting away from work will help 🙂 It’s so important to take a break.
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Oh, what are you studying?
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I’m working towards a finance certification! 🙂
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Awesome. I know who to go to for financial advice 😉👍🏼
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I think doing something you’re passionate helps with managing a work life balance because it’s something that brings you joy, so you don’t necessarily have to feel anxious,
Also trusting the Universe.
I also think remembering that you are doing the best you can is a great way to stop overthinking and stretching yourself to far when it comes to work, at the end of the day, we are here to enjoy life, and when you die, you won’t look back on the days you spent worrying about work with joy, you’ll be looking back on the days you enjoyed life with joy. Unless it’s your dream job and you’re doing it for YOU, work really isn’t that deep. And even when it is your dream job (for example I’m working on my passions right now which is so exciting and I’m so happy), it’s still important to set boundaries by remembering why you’re here! To do what you’re passionate about AND to enjoy life!! Consciously decide tonight ‘I am going to switch off, enjoy time with Brett and know that I can get back to my work tomorrow at the designated time, tonight is for me because I deserve it’. The more you get into these habits the better life will get! Also if you’re unsure what you want to do career wise try meditating on the question! When you decide you want to live your happiest life it’s amazing what opportunities and inspiration will come your way!
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