Work-Life Balance
Achieving a work-life balance is more challenging now than ever before; especially for women. Traditionally there were very distinct roles within a household; whereby a husband would work and the wife stayed at home to care for the household and family. However, with changing demographics, an increased representation of women in the workforce and a faster paced life, the role of women has morphed in Western cultures.
The speed of technology is also fuelling the transforming role of women. About twenty years ago mobile phones entered our lives and we haven’t looked back. Now we have mobile devices aplenty, from tablets to stream overseas television shows, watches connected to mobile phones and more. We are so connected to the external and global world every minute of every day.
Let’s take a look at how the evolution of women’s roles has meant there is no greater time than now to cultivate a work-life balance.
Family Structure:
The traditional Australian family of yesteryear likely consisted of a mother and father, two or three children and a family pet, living in a four bedroom house. The house was probably owned in principal with a mortgage. There was an expectation to marry young and purchase a house. In fact, buying into the property market was considered “The Australian Dream” that self-respecting adults worked towards. The male would work outside of the home and financially support the family, whilst the woman would care for the household and family. She would prepare all meals for the family, laundry and clean.
Overtime, this model has changed significantly. Women’s entry into the workforce and their growing importance in providing workplace diversity has seen many changes. The typical household has changed in that Australians are marrying later, the pressure to marry young and settle down has diffused. People travel after school and there is a greater desire for higher education and career establishment prior to settling down. The modern day household may now consist of a shared household of friends, de facto couples with/ or without children, step- families, same-sex couples, multicultural couples, single-parent households and blended families.
Previously marriage was a prerequisite to a family, now it is not. Interconnecting families, financial stresses, changes in the workforce, declining marriage and birth rates and the shape of the world continue to re-shape women’s roles. Although women are still under represented in numerous occupations and spend between 6-14 hours on housework per week – compared to men’s less than four hours per week – they are a vital component of the Australian workplace.
Work/Life Balance:
Irrespective of which family unit we live in, one of the greatest challenges in our modern day life is finding a happy balance between working and living. Traditionally, men would start and retire from the same workforce at the same organisation. Company loyalty was high. These days, men and women alike are more likely to experience change every few years as flexible work spaces, flexible work hours and company benefits motivate career changes.
The increasing costs of housing, daycare, schooling and overall living expenses such as mortgage payments, food and hobbies has meant that companies need to offer benefits beyond just standard remuneration packages. One of which is offering day care facilities adjacent to corporate offices and a work-from-home structure.
The modern woman is expected to perform in career and also at home which is further exemplified in social media. The influence of online platforms also provides the illusion that perfection is achievable, at the very least, desirable. So as times continue to progress at a rapid rate and the pressure on women enhances, let’s take a look at a few strategies that can support a healthier work/life balance.
1) Plan a family meal:
With misaligned schedules it can be easy to miss out on quality meal times together. If it is not practical to eat daily meals together, perhaps once a week a family meal can be planned. Visit a fresh food market to purchase the products, prepare it together in the kitchen and then sit down together. Children are more likely to eat food they prepare themselves and they learn vital life skills such as food preparation.
2) Be a positive role model for yourself and family:
The way we treat ourselves indirectly communicates to the world of how we wish to be treated. If we feed our bodies with unhelpful foods on a regular basis and think negatively, we project this outwards. We are often our own worst critic, so learn to treat yourself kindly. One way to measure this is consider, if you treated your friends the way you treat yourself, would you still have any friends?
3) Maintain Physical Exercise:
Allocating personal time for yoga, a gym class or long walk can easily be sidelined for cleaning the house and laundry. However, attending exercise sessions is essential to keep the body healthy, to support normal digestion, muscle maintenance and bone strength. Physical activity is not a luxury event we do when there’s time, it should be scheduled regularly into a healthy lifestyle. Participating in sports and physical activities also assists the body diffuse stress.
4) Nourish Your Temple:
We have each been given one body in this lifetime so we should consider it a temple worthy of nourishment. Nourishment is often considered to be the foods we eat. Whilst the foods and drinks we consume will have a profound impact on our wellbeing, so to does our breath, our thoughts and psychological wellbeing. In order to support overall health we need to take slow deep cleansing breaths to support brain processing, absorption of nutrients and heart health. We need healthy foods for every bodily process and we need to be inspired and motivated to participate in life.
5) Arrange social outings with friends:
Humans are social creatures. It’s important for psychological wellness to feel as though we belong to a community and have support from others. Take time out of your busy schedule to reconnect with uplifting people. Sharing a pot of tea with others and chatting about life can stimulate the production of relaxation hormones and reduce circulating stress hormones. This is fantastic news for lowering bad cholesterol levels, reducing high blood pressure and calming down the mind.
Posted on November 5, 2018