How do I truly achieve work-life balance?
SEEK’s Resident Psychologist discusses with host Kyran Wheatley, the elusive concept of work-life balance and if it really is achievable.
Read the transcript
Kyran: Chris has a question for us. ‘How do I truly achieve work-life balance?’.
Everyone talks about work-life balance, you know, that’s such a hot topic at the moment, and it pops up all the time, but I think here the word ‘truly’… how do you truly get there?
Sabina: The word truly to me suggests that Chris is wondering if it really is attainable. And I would have to agree with this question in that I’m not sure that it is. This idea of work-life balance is kind of fantasy, and I think as long as we’re wedded to this fantasy we’re going to be disappointed.
Kyran: So what is the fantasy that people have?
Sabina: The fantasy that we’re going to have equal input and satisfaction and growth with our personal life and with our professional life. Instead of looking for this perfect equality, I think we need to ask ourselves ‘what is it that creates a sense of satisfaction, peace and challenge in my life?’. For me, it’ll be different that it is for you.
So instead of work-life balance, I like to talk about work-life boundaries, and it’s me that needs to create them.
Ends