Is the Work-Life Balance a Myth for Women?

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Achieving a work-life balance is not easy and many claim that it is a myth. Today, women are more likely than ever to sit in the board room and more women are going after the top seats in their careers. However this often comes at a cost. The truth is that we can have it all, but not always at the same time. Something usually will suffer.

Nobody has called you to be Superwoman…there’s already one and it’s telling that she’s a cartoon character. You can only do the best you can at any given time. If you decide to start a family and pursue a career or business at the same time and you want to make sure that each of them gets 100 percent of you every time, you are going to live a very frustrated life indeed because it’s just not possible.

In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the creator of Greys Anatomy and Scandal, Shonda Rhimes spoke about several things, but something that was poignant was when she spoke about how she combined work and family. Her candid reply was that she didn’t. These were her words:

“If I am at home sewing my kids’ Halloween costumes, I’m probably blowing off a rewrite I was supposed to turn in. If I am accepting a prestigious award, I am missing my baby’s first swim lesson. If I am at my daughter’s debut in her school musical, I am missing Sandra Oh‘s last scene ever being filmed at Grey’s Anatomy. If I am succeeding at one, I am inevitably failing at the other. That is the trade-off.”

This is freeing. You need to do your best at whatever front you find yourself, whether it’s at work or at home. But the truth is that they will both suffer at different times and you need to find a way to be okay with that. The most important thing is to have a clear grip on what your priroties are and find a way to achieve balance for yourself. Nobody can tell you what balance is…people can suggest, but you’re the only one who will know when you’re there.

We’ll leave you today with the words of Brian G. Dyson, who was once CEO of Cocacola:

“Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. They are Work, Family, Health, Friends and Spirit, and you’re keeping all of these in the air.

You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the four others – Family, Health, Friends and Spirit – are made of glass. If you drop one of these, it will be scuffed, nicked, damaged, even shattered. And it will never be the same.

Work efficiently during office hours and leave on time. Give proper time to your family and friends, and take a decent rest.

Value has a value only if its value is valued.”

 

Image credit: The Hollywood Reporter

 

 

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