Balancing act: Finding your work-life balance

Balancing your time between work and life can be a tricky playing field. Especially if you also have kids to look after, you might feel like there are balls coming at you from all angles. But there are many benefits to finding a healthy balance between earning a crust, developing a career and enjoying your personal life with your family. And it is possible, even if you have kids!

War and Peace? The work–life conflict

Realising that work can interfere with your personal life is an important part of knowing where to find balance. It’s a tricky balancing act, especially for parents, because we want to hang out with our kids but at the same time we need to earn enough money to take care of them.

Some people delay having kids, or have fewer kids than they might like to, so that they have enough time left over to develop their career. Others choose to take time off to have kids now and concentrate on career opportunities later. It’s about making the choice that’s right for you.

Sisters are doing it for themselves

Women have it even tougher in the work–life balancing act. Most Australian women now participate in the workforce, but they continue to take most of the responsibility at home. For women, working and being a mum means juggling many balls at the same time: domestic chores, babies and earning a living.

After having a baby, women will often leave the workforce or need to cut back hours, and sometimes they feel this can interfere with their career goals. To avoid losing sight of career goals, it’s important to weigh all the pros and cons, but also to be aware of your rights as working parents (and that goes for all the dads out there, too).

So where are the answers?

Families are an important part of life in Australia, and there are laws in place to help parents balance their work and family commitments. Did you know your boss is legally required to consider your requests for flexible working conditions to allow you to have a good family life?

So talk to your boss. If you feel you’re copping the blunt edge of the stick, don’t be afraid talk to someone about what is fair and what is legal. You can find the answers you need.

For those struggling with cash flow, the government may assist you. Make sure you’re aware of any financial assistance the Australian government provides. You’ve probably heard of the baby bonus scheme or paid parental leave for new parents, but there are other types of assistance like childcare support which might help you find the balance you need to cope with a slightly older family.

The right job

Look for job options which complement your life better, whether this means being able to work from home or finding something that allows you to pick up the kids. Job hunting is not an easy task, and finding the energy to update your CV or write an application will be difficult if you’re already torn between work and family. But in the long term, it might be a good investment in work–life balance.

Look in the papers or online job sites like SEEK to start brainstorming other ways of earning a living. Consider things like travel time, shift work and salary, which may affect your work–life balance.

Remember: Quality is just as important as quantity

If job switching isn’t an option right now and you are a little bit stretched between work and family, then make the most of the time you have. Find quality activities to enjoy with your kids or friends, and turn boring everyday routines like eating meals and cleaning up after them into family routines.

What’s the point?

There are endless reasons for maintaining a balance between work and family. To start, there is the added bonus of not wanting to constantly tear your hair out from stress. Not balding? Priceless.

Seriously, though, mental health problems like stress and anxiety about work will affect both you and your family. You might find yourself stressing at the kids when you get home. But if you are happy with your work, you can make a living happily and look after your family without having to worry about putting food on the table.

It’s also been shown that kids of working parents are more likely to attend early childhood education (preschool), and this leads to better performance at school. So don’t worry about getting the little tuckers out into the world. Just like work is an important part of your life balance, kids benefit from time away from the family, making new friends and learning new things at preschool!

Do the people have the power?

It might be easy to feel that your boss has all the power. At the end of the day, the boss decides whether or not you get flexible working hours or other work conditions you might request. But your boss has to consider requests and grant them if they are reasonable. So don’t be afraid to communicate with your employer if you’re having trouble finding a balance.

If you feel you are not being heard or your situation is unfair, you can always refer to your rights as a worker and talk to the Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission or your trade union for advice.

Wanna be my bestie?

It’s true that finding and maintaining a balance between work life and personal life is a challenge. However, it is not an impossible one. As you can see, the choices are yours, and the power is in your hands to change what you can or find ways to cope with what you cannot change.

Work life and personal life don’t have to be in conflict. Give them a chance and they may even become great friends!

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