Heather is a member of our Board and the Director of Neighbourhood Networks. She wrote to let us know how she manages her work life balance for Work Life Week. 

Work Life Balance  – it’s an ideal in which we strive towards creating a situation where all parties give a bit and take a bit for the goal of achieving the perfect equilibrium.

Today I find myself in the office on a bank holiday Monday with my two children in tow. Dad was offered a new job at the end of last week with an immediate start date. This was an offer not to be refused with its lure flexible working hrs  – manna to the ears of parents. Ironically, however, not that flexible on his first day!

One side of the scale, it’s my turn to cover and my colleague gets a well-earned holiday weekend with his family.

The other side of the scale is there is no trip to the amusements or aquarium or other family adventures (that I promise to make up to my children another time).

I’m lucky, however, to work in a family friendly environment where a day in the office is possible and even a bit of a novelty for my kids.  My thoughtful colleague prepared for their arrival with a wee list of jobs for them to do in the office with the promise of chocolate for wages. They eagerly rattled through the tasks in hand with the added novelty of payment for their toil.

Over the day they lure me away from my desk from time to time to watch some extra funny clips on you-tube. This is their own unique way of reminding me to stop and smell the roses.

I congratulate them on their great behavior (high pitched giggles aside) and my daughter tells me that it’s been actually kind of fun and better than school.

All in all it’s another end to a working day with the scales somewhere in the middle!