Remember that 1980’s Enjoli perfume commercial where the woman sings, “ I can bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan, and never let you forget you’re a man.”? The slogan was “Enjoli: the 8-hour perfume for the 24-hour woman.” Does that make you feel exhausted? Well, it does me!
Work-Life Balance Trends
As more and more women have entered the workforce over the past few decades, there has been a growing sentiment that being a Super Woman (or Super Human being for that matter) is just not possible. For many, gone are the days when one partner works full time and the other stays home to mind the kids and run the household. These demographical work-life changes have impacted not only the homemaker-turned-worker in dual-income families but also their partners who now have more household and childcare responsibilities along with their work duties.
Another trend that we are seeing is people working later into their retirement years. According to a 2022 Gallup study, except for the pandemic year 2021, the average retirement age has increased steadily since the 1990s. It has risen from 57 in 1991 to an expected retirement age of 66 in 2022. There are many reasons for this jump that we will explore in future blogs. This trend has affected housing considerations for the working and aging community.
Because it is such a prevalent hardship, finding “work-life balance” has almost become a cliché. Now that up to 70% of people work remotely from home. The lines between work and home life have become even more blurred. With this blending of roles, it has become more important than ever to find work that aligns with your core personality, values, and gifts. Creating space at home that reflects those characteristics and gives you fuel for and a respite from your work is essential in creating a Lifestyle Foundation that feeds your soul.
The impact of these trends is that more and more people are juggling work life vs home life as they are working longer, have more than one working person in a family, and are now working from home more often. If we let it, the push of our work lives into our home lives can threaten our self-actualization, happiness, and authenticity. There has never been a better time to evaluate whether your home supports your work life (and offers an escape) and if your work reflects your values and talents to their fullest potential.
The impact of these trends is that more and more people are juggling work life vs home life as they are working longer, have more than one working person in a family, and are now working from home more often.
Spinning the Plates
As our free time and space get squeezed, trying to spin all the plates in life has become difficult for some. Without clarity and boundaries, inevitably, if we try to do too much at work and at home, a few of the plates will drop. Have any plates (think Wheel of Life categories) dropped in your life because of your job? Maybe your health has suffered? Your romantic relationships? Your friendships? Your fun? Maybe you’ve lost a job because your home life took precedence. Drop a comment below about what difficulties you’ve experienced trying to be Super Human at your job.
Does your home Propel you to Professional and Personal Success?
Maybe your current home doesn’t provide the space for you to do your job well. Let us know below how your home has helped or hindered you in your career. Here are a few ways your home might be causing you professional strife:
- The commute to your office is too long.
- You don’t have a good airport close by for travel.
- You don’t have a dedicated office space in your home. (Or two offices for dual-income families.)
- The noise level is too loud for Zoom calls or recordings
- Adequate Wi-Fi is not available in your area.
- The area you live in does not offer services or clients needed in your industry.
- The lighting or decor in your office space is subpar or distracting.
- Your office decor is not suitable for your creative or intellectual output and processes. (More on this later.)
- You need an au pair to live with you so you can get some work done, yet there is no separate or appropriate living area available.
- Your office is in your bedroom or in a place that is in plain sight… you cannot escape work.
We’ll be exploring how your home can support your work life more as well as show how your work can be an expression of the real you in future blogs. If you’d like to talk more about how your current home scores on meeting your work-related needs, click here to book a call with me for clarity and solutions.
