While a few may believe that work-life balance is an unaccomplished phenomenon, I’d like to differ considering that I have been on the receiving end. I have been overwhelmed with the tasks at hand. A full-time MBA course from one of the top B schools in India, a demanding part-time evening job, and my weekend music classes- all seem to chock up my calendar leaving me no space to even squeeze in a minute of personal time for self-improvement or simply to relax. This was not a good indicator since I was on a mission to accomplish the impossible-- work-life balance --and prove those who doubt it wrong.
Being overwhelmed with all duties at hand is no surprise to students who have been in my shoes. And I have nothing but respect for them. However, the idea is to do the balancing act and I had to find a way through. The first step for me was to understand the concept of ‘work-life balance.’ This meant transforming not only the way I did things but also the way I didn’t. It meant setting the right expectations of me and those around me. It also meant handling tasks in priority and subcontract ones less important. So, how did I do this?
Outsource- I looked at options to outsource chores which didn’t really need me or my attention and the ‘house chores’ list was one. This meant no more dusting, lawn mowing, babysitting and laundry. My family understood this and supported me completely. At work, I discussed a manageable schedule with my Manager who was equally supportive. Hence, I was able to delegate my tasks to other colleagues who gladly stepped in to help out- in this regard I was lucky. I blocked my ‘off-study time’ and ‘study time,’ which helped me prioritise accordingly.