On this special day, we want to celebrate what it means to be a woman in today’s time. Society has recognized the power of a woman’s aspirations and her hunger to achieve them, and the doors of opportunity for the same keep barging open day by day. But for the woman herself, she knows the challenge that lies ahead when working towards her goals, as it’s not just work, but the family that she needs to be the unrelenting glue of, too! People from all over the world share tips for balancing work and family life for a woman, but they often don’t pay heed to the fact that maintaining her and her family’s health goes a long way in establishing the perfect equilibrium. There’s also The Four Burner Theory which states that among the four ‘burners’ which are your family, friends, work and health on your ‘priority stove’, you will have to sacrifice one burner in order to succeed at another. It suggests that life is full of compromises, but making the best of what you’ve got is a far more beneficial approach on what you wish you had. Striking the right work-life-health balance can be tough, but resilience is, after all, one of the greatest strengths of a woman.
– The right information is key.
You’ve watched your family grow up and seen them react differently to different situations. You know what works for them and what doesn’t. Be mindful of all of their health-related shortcomings and disadvantages, and do your research to find out how each of those can be avoided or dealt with efficiently. Cook the right food, keep their medical profiles updated and make sure their immunity and nutrition levels are in check. Maintaining your focus at work will be a lot easier if you can avoid/know how to deal with when your kids fall sick at school or when your husband runs out of his prescription medication at home.
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– But don’t forget your own health.
It is easy to lose mindfulness towards your own self when you have a career and an entire family to take care of. Save yourself from over-stressing and burnout by eating healthy, exercising well, getting enough sleep and spending quality time with family. You’re no good to anyone if your tank is running on empty.
– Prioritise your priorities.
Take a day off, and think. Grab a pen and paper, sit down, and make a list. What matters to you in the life you’re living? Is it family, career or some precious alone time? What is the order of importance of those things? What can you absolutely not compromise on and what can you afford to be just good enough at? Having these answers and knowing what matters to you goes a long way in setting the right mood for your daily life, and it helps you keep a clear head.
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– Fit environments nurture fit bodies and fit minds.
Staying healthy starts right from the way you set your kitchen up, all the way to the immunity of you and your family. Having an organised and minimalistic kitchen helps you focus more on the quality of the food you cook, saves time and helps you stay on track with your schedule. It also helps if your whole family is engaging in sports/outdoor activities as it builds a stronger immune system, balances metabolism and maintains a healthy family dynamic.
– Help others help you.
For the times you have it all to do and find your plate to be full, don’t hesitate in asking for help. It could be with work, with cooking, setting up cutlery sets on the table or with kids.. A lovely African proverb suggests “It takes a village to raise a child”. That is, perhaps, a painful parenting lesson for some, but it helps accepting that you can’t parent alone. There are always people around who would fill in and do the needful if you only went ahead and asked them for help. Talking it out with your partner, delegation and co-working are one of the key factors in achieving the right work-life-health balance.
– ‘Me time’.
It is easy to forget who you are in the middle of what everyone around you expects you to be. Find time to do the things you like. It could range from spa treatments to working out, from reading a book with a big coffee cup to going bungee jumping. If you ever feel like putting everything on pause just so you could sit by the window and look at the sky, try and make the time for it. It is important to refresh yourself every now and then.
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Self-discovery is an important aspect of going through the daily grind, and part of balancing everything out is feeling fulfilled in your various roles. And for the few moments where you don’t feel like you have the answers, we will work hard to be of help to you.
