Are you feeling that you are split between two worlds? Don’t think we are talking about any cosmic science here. We are indicating the worlds that we have to maintain everyday – personal and professional.
People often mix up these two because one’s office nowadays doesn’t always remain within bounds of the office building or a defined timeframe. In today’s world, the office is just a phone call away and this is as much pain as relief. We could turn this flexibility into a very bright side, but often we tend to feel pressure under this extra-flexible system.
Whether you are taking an evening break with your dear one, you are joining a family dinner, you are reading your favorite book, or you are watching a cinema and relaxing, you are never detached from your professional life. It’s always beside you, just a phone call away. Does it scare you? Does it give you the insecurity that your present peace could be ruined by a ring or a vibration? If so, you must admit that there is an immense imbalance between your personal and professional life.
Being in imbalance is like living all alone in a loop you have created by making high expectations and setting hardly achievable goals in life. It’s high time to break the loop and get back on the track. Self-satisfaction is the first and foremost sense that comes from your balance in life.
When you are caught up with so much work at one time, it certainly creates mental stress and it is never good. It continuously leaves a negative impact on your personal life, relationships, and above all, your mental health.
Some might say, balance is a myth; but isn’t it all so relative and variable from person to person and life to life? Someone can be happy with the imbalance or they might be used to it. That doesn’t imply that everyone should get used to it. It’s not about what is happening or what should be happening, it’s about what would make your life peaceful because it is the peace of mind that is the ultimate destination of life.
So, how would you find the peace? At first, you need to admit the truth. Stop lying to yourself or others that you do have a great balance in your life. Then you should reschedule your work-life because the present schedule is not just working. Make sure that you have a holiday, not necessarily very specific, but there should be an escape from your work from time to time so that you can feel validated. Productivity booms when you are not under continuous pressure. Releasing the pressure will give you a smoother way to contemplate.
Work until you get tired; but when you are tired, not taking a break and continuing the work hampers the work quality. That creates a negative impression, sense of failure, and another vicious cycle is created even before you know the existence.
Faria Abdullah, who works for a news portal as a sub-editor, said, “Stress and frustration is very common when it comes to maintaining a balance. I think, my personal life helps me to reduce the work stress as I share it with my friends who also have started working. Through a mutual sharing of the common issues at workplace, it seems bearable.”
Pannasree Chowdhury, who is a banker by profession, said, “Holidays are a relief and one should always keep one’s work tension at the office. Otherwise it may mess up one’s life.”
A daily work target would be great for feeling productive. But you should keep in mind that pushing your limit one day may leave yourself with energy not enough to feel productive another day.
That would create a pang of guilt that you have failed yourself. You know yourself the most, you care for yourself the most and that’s why you need to do justice not only with your capability or goal but also with some pampering. Set small goals that you can complete. Before going out of your comfort zone, make sure that you have no goals to complete when you come back from work.
No magical solution is being given here because that would be unreal. Every different person has a different job or role to play. There is no special solution to this kind of imbalance. You have to find yourself the one that fits you. Take a break for a while and start thinking about what’s eating away at your peace?
The author is a current student of mass communication and journalism at Dhaka University. Email: anindetamonti3@gmail.com