07/06/2022
There’s a word that’s been making it’s way around for quite a while now and that is “balance”. Countries are designing 4-day work weeks; mental health professionals and even celebrities are talking about the importance of taking offs, going off the grid and spending adequate time with family. Balance in different aspects of our lives is something we're realising is worth striving for. But in this ambition for balance, are we finding ourselves running into those same old demons of guilt and perfectionism?
What if balance is not always the traditional 50-50 everyday of the week? What if balance looks very different for different people because of circumstances, contexts and priorities? If my work-life balance is actually 70-30 on some days and 40-60 on others, but I make the best of both worlds, that's okay isn't it?Somedays you might be able to take that mental health day off, say no to an extra assignment, set boundaries and work through your stressors; and on other days, you might find yourself spending an extra two hours on that deadline, not finding time to call your friend or cook a healthy meal. And maybe that's okay. The idea is not to get that perfect balance equation in one try– it is about making an attempt towards being compassionate with yourself and knowing what will be fulfilling for you.
If you think about it, it's a lot like balancing yourself on a foot, isn't it? In the attempt of reaching a state of balance, you actually tend to lean towards one direction. But you know you'll get there eventually if you just focus on whats in front of you. 🙂
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