I read an article that said that despite what companies promote to perspective employees, work/life balance is becoming harder and harder to attain. I honestly agree with those findings and it's a bit disturbing when considering how much time is spent in the office in comparison with other countries around the world. I happen to work closely with people from France and they all seem to have the entire month of August off in that country in addition to their other holidays and vacation time. It's a beautiful thing to have those consecutive days off to get a break and enjoy life. Also with country wide participation, it's not frowned upon when you're off. I never hear of my counterparts in different areas of the world prolonging having children due to work related topics. For me my kids provide the most joyous of memories and my time with them are the best. I honestly live for them and my time at work is spent so that we can all do things to enjoy ourselves with the money that I make and for the necessities of course but primarily so that we can make more fond memories.
There was a time when I was younger when I couldn't imagine being someone's mother. When you're young and carefree you are entitled to be a bit selfish. You don't know any other way to live life than for yourself. At that time, you are the epicenter of your own universe but that all changes when you have children. That's the one thing that I believe people should understand when deciding to become parents. Your selfish existence will need to go at least until their self-reliant and it's a change that some struggle with. But once you've come to terms with the fact that what you do impacts those helpless individuals (at least while their young) you then find yourself trying to do whatever it takes to make them happy and to spend as much time as you can enjoying their presence because it doesn't last. Being a parent to my kids has by far been the most gratifying and enlightening experiences of my life. I had fun as a kid and I look back on those memories as happy but what brings me joy right now are those faces. Watching them learn and discover the simple things that we take for granted everyday and then discussing those adventures with them are priceless and at times hysterical. My youngest daughter says the cutest most crazy things ever and it's adorable! Especially her fondness for her parents. The admiration is not tangible but you feel it immensely. How could you not want to experience that love without being stressed about a job or without being burdened by not having enough time to simply enjoy your life. Work / life balance is of extreme importance and for the sake of a dollar, many companies use the term as a bargaining chip during recruiting but it is to often over shadowed by the need for you to give more of yourself to your job. Work is not living if you're not enjoying the wages from that job and regardless of what anyone tells you... you work to make a living. Even if you work for yourself, you do it for monetary gain.
Take a look at the article yourself and let me know your thoughts. Yahoo Article on Work Life Balance
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