When I was 22, I was working as a receptionist with Revenue Canada. One of my colleagues was a long-term employee. I got to talking with her (let’s call her June). She said that she’d been doing the same job for over 10 years. I was flabbergasted!! Didn’t she have any ambition to pursue a career, to find work that might be more challenging, or which paid more? That conversation stood out for me! I just couldn’t wrap my head around it.
I spoke to June a few more times over the next couple of months and finally asked her outright why she still worked in the same position. Her response surprised me.
June said it was all about priorities. Her main concern was to have a good work-life balance. She discovered early on that having a job that she liked was more important than the money or accolades she could earn elsewhere. At the end of the day, June didn’t take her work home with her. When she was home, she was present in the moment, not consumed with work issues. June recognized the wisdom of establishing realistic work-life goals and priorities.
At that time, work-life balance wasn’t yet a popular concept. It was starting to become a topic of conversation but not everyone was on board. Some employers relied heavily on those individuals that worked longer hours to get the work done, or employees who never took their vacation time.
Some employers were hesitant to embrace work-life balance initiatives as they figured it would cost them more. Initially, it did. However, the benefits far outweighed the drawbacks. Work-life balance decreased absenteeism, increased productivity, boosted morale, and improved employee retention.
I didn’t truly understand the value of work-life balance until much later in life. I was young. I thought I could do it all! Self-care was not on my ‘to do’ list. It was difficult to give 100% at work or at home when I was physically and mentally exhausted.
Most people struggle with maintaining work-life balance, especially entrepreneurs and small business owners. Often the work life and personal life merge and it’s tricky to keep them separate. Remember, you can’t do it all! Take a moment and assess where you’re at! Are you maintaining a healthy work-life balance?
The common saying is ‘you only live once’. In fact, ‘you live every day and you only die once’, but you never know how much time you have. Live your life to the fullest and try to maintain a healthy work-life balance. It’s not easy but it will be well worth it!
What challenges do you experience when trying to achieve a good work-life balance? Do you have a story you’d like to share? Please email us at
