THE BALANCING ACT!

By Sheethal
               
Whoa!! Wake up, prepare breakfast, send your children to school, get ready and rush to office!! Doesn’t this remind you of something?? Yes, it’s you, rushing to office after all your morning chores. I am sure many women would agree this to be their morning schedule, but the working woman doesn’t have a choice or does she?

Well, if she does have a choice, how does she manage to balance the personal and the professional? The main reason for this could be the changing times and the need for a better standard of living. With women venturing into almost all the fields, it is the need of the hour to prove her mettle wherever she goes. But there are certain responsibilities she has to shoulder as a woman. It may be as simple as cooking or looking after her in-laws, her children, or just keeping the house clean. And mind you, it’s not as easy as it sounds.

With this arises the next question, does she have the time to build support systems like friends and in-laws? Well, as a matter of fact, she does not. As she strives on the path of progress it proves very tough for the modern working woman to keep these systems lubricated. But it is very important for her to nurture and build these support systems as they do come in handy someday.

Catering to the needs of her family and children also forms a major part of being a woman. This translates into being with them when they need her. Be it helping the children with their daily homework or playing a game of scrabble, or cooking their favorite dish for dinner! Sure she needs to be strong enough to shoulder the enormous responsibilities that come by and I am sure she does a great job of handling everything with utmost expertise.

Though these responsibilities may dampen her spirits, here are some tips for balancing her work life and home.

1. Take the time to find out what really matters to you in life, in a word it would mean – Prioritize.

2. Drop unnecessary activities. This would result in efficient time management wherein you can squeeze in some time just for yourself.

3. Protect your private time. Create boundaries that keep work from intruding on family time. Carve out hours that contribute to yourself and your relationship.

4. Accept help to balance your life. Allow yourself to rely on friends or your spouse to look after the children or run an errand for you, while you take care of other top priorities

5. Finally, plan fun outings with your spouse children or friends and indulge in relaxation. After all, what is life when you don’t have the time for it!