Work-Life Balance In Today’s Society

Let’s talk work-life balance!

Being Honest, making sure your work-to-life ratio is balanced can be so tough. Especially in today's world, many people hold two to three jobs. Personally, I work two jobs and am a full-time student in college, completing my associate's degree, then returning to pursue my bachelor's and master's. I have a partner, family, friends, schoolwork, two jobs, and I still want to maintain my health and find time for exercise. 

The most important thing you can do is make a schedule that allows you time for all of your responsibilities and time for yourself. Working two jobs is not easy, so I make sure I dedicate certain days to each job. One of my jobs takes three days a week, and the other job varies from 2 to 3 days a week. I then have school 2 days a week. So technically, I'm busy all 7 days a week and doing multiple things on some days. 

How have I not gone crazy!?? 

The simple fact is that I don't concern myself with things that are not my responsibility. I am a manager at both of my jobs, and they can be quite demanding and require my attention at times. There was a point where I let one of my jobs consume me. Every second of the day, I was texting them or answering questions, or just thinking and talking about that job. My partner mentioned how it controlled me, and that time never truly felt like ours, as I always brought up my job. This is when I knew I needed to make a change, so from that point on, I turned off notifications to all messages used for my job and only check them on days that I work. I no longer talk about the job constantly, and it's not on my mind 24/7 either. 

This is super important for work-life ratios to stay balanced; a job should not run your life, life should run your job. We're supposed to live and experience, and enjoy, not work our lives away. We need to work to enjoy life, though, a funny coincidence. This is possible, though! 

I think the work environment plays a huge role as well. Who you work with, how they act and treat you, is so important. I chose to pull back from one job because the environment didn't feel right for me anymore. While I love the job and what I do, I didn't always love what and who I was surrounded by. One of my jobs is in a corporation, while the other is not. A lot of times, I'm dealing with really upset and angry customers because the policies and rules we have do not favor the customers. It can be really frustrating for me to have to tell someone no on something that I totally agree with them on. My other job was created with families in mind, catering to not only the children we see daily but the guardians bringing them as well. It really changes the overall feeling of a job based on how the customers enjoy it. Not only that, but it makes such a difference when you are face-to-face with the owner of a business and feel as though you can talk to them or be yourself. At one job, everyone is nervous or scared when we hear a visit is coming, while at the other job, I see or text the owner quite often, and am comfortable asking for help, clarification, or if something's wrong, I'm not scared to own up to a mistake. 

Now, let's be honest, in today's society, how often do we get to really pick who we work for, where, when, or how? The job pool is tricky, and with the way the world is, most can't afford to find a job that fills their cup; the first job available is usually picked as the income from it is needed immediately. 

My point is, it's hard, draining, and takes time, but the world works in mysterious ways. Whether you believe in God, the universe, or any other higher being, something is made for you. What belongs will find its way. 

In my search for my second job, I spent months, nervous, scared, feeling drained from the other job, ready to quit and be unemployed; however, one day, after countless months, the job application popped up. I applied, interviewed, and got hired, just to find out my employee number is 17. My lucky number and favorite number ever since I was a little girl is 17. That was my sign, that it was meant to be, and I took a step in the right direction. Even though I was ready to give up, drained, discouraged, and getting more irritable as the days passed, I waited, knowing there was a plan for me. 

I'm not saying it's easy to do what I do, I still haven't found time or motivation for myself only, my room stays a mess as cleaning feels like the least of my worries even if it bothers me, exercise is always in my brain yet never feels like I have energy after a long day, and I prioritize bed rotting and my partner most times. I've got a long way to go to reach a good balance that fuels me; however, I wanted to share my thoughts and experiences in case someone else out there is struggling with the same thing or just wants to feel not so alone in this scary economic/working time. 

That's all for now. Send in your stories or topic requests through our contact page or direct email to beyondthethresholdblog@gmail.com. Please consider donating to keep the blog running. Nothing brings me greater joy than writing for all of you!

Goodbye for now, see you in the next one!