I recently read an article written by Emily Tipping, editorial director for the magazine Recreation Management, May 2019, about trying to keep work life and home life in balance on a consistent basis. Tipping said that we all have an idea of where we want to operate: when we are doing everything we need to do and as a result our mind, body and soul are good. Tipping said that even when we think we have it all figured out there will be days when nothings seems to go right.
However, she said we just need to be mindful of this and stay positive and she quoted Vince Lombardi who said, “Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.” For me personally, there are days when I seem to get so much more accomplished than I thought I would and on the other hand, there are days when I cross a dozen things OFF my list only to add a dozen or more back ON it and I feel as though I made no actual progress at all.
I like when things are running smoothly. Who doesn’t? However, I know there are days when I must operate in the 11th hour, and ready myself for Plan B. What’s hard is that I have to do this WHILE multi-tasking and dealing with multiple disruptions. This is when it’s most critical that I am intentionally mindful to keep my mind and body “even”—keeping them as balanced as possible in the middle of organized chaos. (I read a book where the author referred to those that can smile when everything seems to go wrong, as either nitwits or repairmen. I would argue that I am a bit of both, which seems to work for me and my temperament most of the time.) I have to say that I am getting better at balancing home life and work life. At work, no matter how busy I am, I make it a priority to take a few minutes to refresh and recharge my mind and body. I get up from my desk and go for a short walk around the WWCC hallways, or call my parents and check in. Just a few minutes to “breathe” helps me refocus and ultimately, be more productive in my work.
At home, I try to balance chores with free time, as well as quality time with each of the six kids and Lynel. Even if I can only give every other member of my family 10-15 minutes of alone, quality time, I feel better and I am hopeful they do as well. Easier said than done, but I do TRY to shut off work when I am at home, and put home life on the back burner while at work. (However, if my kid calls, I will drop work in a second.) With both home and work, I do remind myself that in most cases, whatever I didn’t get done today will still be waiting for me tomorrow.
When I am in balance I feel stable, steady and things are evenly distributed. So, physically, emotionally, socially or whatever then, sometimes I just have to go with the flow and KNOW that I am doing my best. Otherwise, the harder I try, the more things can still go wrong. It’s like looking for a misplaced item: the more I look for it the more frustrated I become when I can’t find it and about the time I stop looking, it shows up. There have been so many times my phone was in my pocket or my glasses were on my head and until it was pointed out by one of my kiddos, I had no idea and would’ve looked for hours.
Keeping balance also means talking to myself gently just as I would with my children. I would encourage them to hang in there, breathe deeply and try again. I have gotten better at doing the same for myself. Albert Einstein said, “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” (Additionally, I also keep my hands on the handle bars, keep my head up and watch for obstacles.)
(Ok-I can’t leave. Without sharing the “lost item” song: I saw it somewhere and while it doesn’t help find the items, but it does make me smile. The adult version of head, shoulders, knees and toes is: wallet, glasses, keys and phone.) Have a great day and stay steady!
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