We recently held our Women with Altitude Christmas in July event in Springwood, to a wonderful turnout of 68 women. As I chatted, the recurring theme on women’s minds seemed to be juggling ye olde work life balance and how we can fit everything in… and then Georgia Adamson got up to speak and shared her challenges with work life balance with wonderful honesty and humour. The fact that it resonated for most of us was terrific but what I loved even more was that in her own words Georgia doesn’t know the answer. Georgia didn’t spruce techniques about how she copes with work and children, marriage and social engagement, She’s merely trying to handle it the best she can.. JUST like all of us are doing.
Perhaps we need to stop whipping ourselves when we haven’t got the balance right. Perhaps we need to release the pressure valve that we all have and be patient with ourselves? Hmm patience reminds me of slower movement, relaxation and stopping to watch the honeybees…. Sigh, I di-gress. Perhaps along with being more patient with ourselves we need to stop saying yes to things and start saying no. I can say this out loud as I have a shocking case of over committing, and trying to fix the world and all its tasks.
There is an interesting article in the Washington Post by Tim Krieder that Georgia alluded to in her talk which I have just read. ( link at the bottom of the page) He talks about how Americans are now reaching a ‘busy hysteria’ and that we have filled our diaries with tasks and meetings and sooo much work that we have forgiotten what its like (or are too anxious) to be idle and enjoying doing nothing. Its an interesting read and I must say that I agree with him on many levels, If I’m really honest I would acknowledge that my busyness is self inflicted and I must at some point soon, connect with my inner NO and start using it more often.
I guess really we must remember that we don’t get the time back so the question should be where are we choosing to spend our time?
We wont wish we spent more time working at the end of our life now will we?
Heres the link to Tim’s article
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/30/the-busy-trap/?smid=fb-share
Thanks Andrea. I’m sorry I missed the WWA luncheon. I should take a leaf out of this speech too, and say ‘no’ even just occasionally. I haven’t read a book in over a year, and I used to read 3 a week. So given the state of anxiety I’m currently in with setting up a new business and life in general, this is so timely. Hope to see you soon (once you have time of course).
Dannielle