Here we are again talking about balance. Let me tell you this talk is cheap, but the action comes at a high cost.
If you are wondering how that can be, consider this. You are being pressurised by your boss to work longer hours. You are pressurised by your kids to spend more time with them. You are pressurised by your husband to prepare better and healthier meals and to top it off he still wants you to perform sexually after all that at least three times a week.
You bitch and moan to your bookclub friends once a month (yes, this at least you have insisted on is your time no matter what) that you cannot continue like this as you are exhausted all the time.
They laugh and all tell you about work life balance. Ha! Now that is a joke as none of them has it either?
So where do you start and how do you prioritize?
This is the hardest decision you will have to make. What comes first? Your job which gives you a monthly income that allows you to at least be able to compete with the youngsters coming into the workplace. Your job requires you to dress the part that says ‘I am serious about my job and I am climbing the corporate ladder’. Say what you want but being well groomed costs money and that certainly does not get cheaper as you age it gets more expensive.
Taking time out from your job every now and again to spend time at your child’s gala event or some or other school function that requires at least a face of one parent takes its toll on your career, as you are constantly working time in.
Let’s face it ladies, men, husband’s I should say, certainly believe it is easier for a women to take time off work. When your boss is male, he seems to think you are always taking time off, when actually you only doing it maybe once a month. The worst however is when your boss is female, she seems to think that you obviously cannot manage your time properly because she manages to go to her child’s school functions and it never takes as much time as you take!
That’s trying to juggle the job. Now let’s look at the eating healthy part. Holy cow, tell me when are you suppose to shop for those healthy ingredients to cook each evening? Ok Ok, I know. Thank heavens for Woolies, but you still need to go to Woolies and pick out the food. Hopefully you have a pre-planned menu that will take less than 30 minutes because that is about what time you have left.
So now we get to the sex part. Ok, let’s just skip this part what can I say. Lie back and think of England.
Oh shucks I forgot to mention exercise. That size 10 skirt that became size 14 over night. Yes, you read it right, over night.
Eish as we South Africans will say, actually it’s not that bad, it’s worse. Sorry ladies just kidding.
Life when you start out in your working career is a breeze. You have all these plans and you vowed never to be like your mother. You have it all figured out. You will be different.
What you do not realize, is yes, you will be different from your mother. Life has changed. Technology has changed. Economies have changed. Relationships have changed. Actually, pretty much everything has changed. Off course you will be different. Your challenges are completely different to the challenges your mother faced.
So now what? What is the answer?
In my humble opinion as the author life is simple. Take it as it comes. Don’t try and plan life to death, it does not work. There are way too many variables.
Decide which of the things in your life you enjoy the most and prioritize accordingly. Don’t try to be super mom. Just be yourself, do the best you can. Love as much as possible, enjoy each moment life serves you and be grateful for everything you have.
Oh, last but not the least, laugh often and bugger the laughter lines. Now that reader is balance.
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