Sometimes the subject of work/family balance seems to be all about parents and kids, but that would be erroneous. Everyone needs to take time off the job and do something that renews their spirit so they can come back to work refreshed and ready to go.
Navigating uncertain times in your job as a single person has a different set of challenges because single adults are often living away from the network of family. Family can certainly be stressful, but family also is a support system for most of us. We need to be part of some definition of family even if that “family” is an online support group we never see in real life.
In some ways, parents have more clear cut boundaries about work commitments. A child comes with obvious responsibilities and you clearly must say “no, I can’t work late” sometimes to take care of those responsibilities. A single person sounds selfish, even to their own ears, when they want to say “no, I can’t work late” because they paid for a yoga class and it is not refundable. Why is the idea of losing out on a yoga class fee selfish? I don’t think it is, particularly if it’s an expensive class.
Everybody needs to have the ability to do these things outside of your work schedule:
- maintain friendships
- take care of your health
- find leisure activities you enjoy
Maybe we should call it work/life balance, instead, because people who live alone still need to have an identity outside of their job description.
What do you think? How have you been able to maintain this important balance in your life?