Work-life balance?

[Nataly 38]

Do you have it?

Saw this interesting talk... Made me laugh when he admitted he was great at balancing work and life when he wasn't working!! Reminded me of my current situation!

http://www.ted.com/talks/nigel_marsh_how_to_make_work_life_balance_work.html

"There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse."
- Chris Hadfield
« Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. »
- my boss

[SarahC07 0]

Ha - I absolutely struggle with maintaining a work-life balance.

I have this horrible and yet wonderful habit of giving 200% of myself to whatever I'm doing with my life. If I'm not excelling, I'm not satisified.

Heh, time to work.

[Nataly 38]

Heh... I'm the same... I wonder sometimes how I would cope if I had kids in the mix...

"There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse."
- Chris Hadfield
« Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. »
- my boss

[sandi 0]

Yep, being a mommy makes it a little harder to get balance. I usually work a lot at night after my little one is sleeping. But it's worth it to be able to have my afternoons with her.

I split my time between my work and my daughter. So I guess I'm not really balanced since I completely cut out having any social life. But I can have a social life after I finish my dissertation.

[NWFlyer 2]

Yes, but I've also prioritized it. I don't have the most exciting job in the world, but I get paid well, I typically work only 40 hours a week (very occasionally more, but that's only when we're on a crazy deadline), I get 5 weeks vacation time (plus fixed holidays) a year (and that's after only 2 years with the company, it'll go up again when I've been here longer). I've put in the time and effort to get the degrees/experience to be in professional positions that allow me to take jobs that are deliverable/results-based, not jobs that are "face time" based. That means that as long as I get my work done, do it well, participate in the meetings/calls/activities that I'm needed in, and am accessible/responsive, I can manage my own day. So if I have the time and feel like working out in the middle of the day, I can do that. If I want to take off early on a Friday to start a weekend trip, I can do that.

I have the type of job that allows me to work from home fairly often. That has its own set of work-life balance challenges - it can be great because it gives you flexibility and saves you the time/hassle/expense of a commute. But it also means that if you can't shut off your laptop and BlackBerry, work can be with you all the time. So I do that - I turn 'em off and ignore them outside of work hours.

I make vacations non-negotiable. As long as I've planned ahead and notified people that I have time off coming up, I see no need to change my plans to support some work deliverable. People are rarely as important as they think they are at work (me included) and work will go on when I'm not there. I believe vacations should be vacations - if I'm using my paid time off, I'm OFF. Work does not come with me.

I've worked at the jobs where the bragging rights come from how many hours you put in over a week. I've worked at jobs where the bragging rights come from hours plus how many frequent flyer miles you racked up. I travel but it's short-haul, less-disruptive travel than it used to be. No 5-hour flights, no redeyes, none of that shit.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[wolfriverjoe 1,523]

I have it.

First off, I really enjoy my job (most of the time anyway).
Second, I have a schedule that fits me very well.
I drive truck, and have a week on/week off deal. I jump in the truck on Saturday and road trip all over the country for a week, I am (usually) home Friday afternoon, and have the entire following week off. I share the truck with another driver who does the opposite week.
It has it's drawbacks, winter isn't always fun (like last week ), but it sure beats working for a living

With that schedule, I don't make a whole lot of money, but I live cheap, and as a pilot and rigger/packer my jumps costs are usually covered by the work that I do.

The only real problem is that even with every other week off, I still don't have enough time to get everything done (maybe I shouldn't spend quite as much time on here as I do ).

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

[billvon 3,120]

Definitely get the other restraints. One can never have enough.

[Arvoitus 1]

Yes I have perfect work-life balance. I work 7,5 hrs a day 5 days a week.

I have zero loyalty towards the company.

If the stockholders decide they ain't making enough money from the company's stocks then the company will have no difficulty in kicking me to the curb.

No matter what, I've never felt in any way stressed due to my work. Simply because, I don't care about it.

Your rights end where my feelings begin.

[wayneflorida 0]

Quote

Yes, but I've also prioritized it. I don't have the most exciting job in the world, but I get paid well, I typically work only 40 hours a week (very occasionally more, but that's only when we're on a crazy deadline), I get 5 weeks vacation time (plus fixed holidays) a year (and that's after only 2 years with the company, it'll go up again when I've been here longer). I've put in the time and effort to get the degrees/experience to be in professional positions that allow me to take jobs that are deliverable/results-based, not jobs that are "face time" based. That means that as long as I get my work done, do it well, participate in the meetings/calls/activities that I'm needed in, and am accessible/responsive, I can manage my own day. So if I have the time and feel like working out in the middle of the day, I can do that. If I want to take off early on a Friday to start a weekend trip, I can do that.

I have the type of job that allows me to work from home fairly often. That has its own set of work-life balance challenges - it can be great because it gives you flexibility and saves you the time/hassle/expense of a commute. But it also means that if you can't shut off your laptop and BlackBerry, work can be with you all the time. So I do that - I turn 'em off and ignore them outside of work hours.

I make vacations non-negotiable. As long as I've planned ahead and notified people that I have time off coming up, I see no need to change my plans to support some work deliverable. People are rarely as important as they think they are at work (me included) and work will go on when I'm not there. I believe vacations should be vacations - if I'm using my paid time off, I'm OFF. Work does not come with me.

I've worked at the jobs where the bragging rights come from how many hours you put in over a week. I've worked at jobs where the bragging rights come from hours plus how many frequent flyer miles you racked up. I travel but it's short-haul, less-disruptive travel than it used to be. No 5-hour flights, no redeyes, none of that shit.

Now we need to discuss internet-life balance.
Oh just forget it.