Balance Act

Let’s face it: we all have a work life and a home/personal life. Some choose to combine the two and others prefer to keep them separated. Either way can be done as it is a personal choice.

One of the most challenging aspects of having a career and a family is separating one from the other. The other challenge  is learning to hang your hat at the front door of each. One can be just as hard as the other. The key is to learn how to balance your life so that one doesn’t adversely affect the other.

Now some say that it can’t be done, but I say that it can. I have a son with ESRD. Although I am on FMLA and my company works well with my situation, my job is by NO MEANS affected by my situation. When I shut the door to my office, I’m done for the day and when I open my laptop, my focus is work. It can take some time and effort to get to that point, but it IS possible to balance work and home.

Here are some hints that I’ve learned during the process:

1. Picture yourself hanging a hat when you walk in each door and in that hat is the part of your life that you left for the  day

2. Focus on your job when you’re there / Focus on family when you’re home

3 . Stay busy with projects at work to keep your mind off home

4. Stay busy with family to keep your mind off work

Deborah Tyler is part of the GovLoop Featured Blogger program, where we feature blog posts by government voices from all across the country (and world!). To see more Featured Blogger posts, click here.