The Work/Home Life Balance...

As I have gotten older, I have come to realize how important the Work/Home life balance is.  At work, a series of recorded lectures are provided to the employees to view.  One such lecture talks about the "Work/Home Life Balance."  The speaker discussed how important it was to create that balance, but in the end, the message was that you cannot be good in both.  If you plan to succeed at work, then your home life will not be successful.

Sad, isn't it?  However, it is so true.

If I spend all of my time doing the work stuff that everyone wants, I never have any "me" time.  I cannot go to the movies, plan a vacation, or even return back to school.  My life revolves around work and it's demands.

I thought for a long time about the "Work/Home Life Balance" and decided I really needed more "me" time.  I sought out a position that would reduce the amount of responsibilities and provide me with the "me" time I need.  Now, I am being questioned if that is what I really want?

I think we all want to be very successful in our jobs and home lives.  When it comes right down to it, when one side is over taking the other, you have to make a choice.   I spent many years working really hard.  I made a lot of sacrifices, but saw very little return.  I fought a hard struggle with caring for a dying family member and trying to maintain the work needed with a high profile project.  In the end, I lost that family member and got nothing out of the work I did.

Thursday night, I pointed this scenario out to a dear friend.  I remember saying I know it is God's test, but what was I to learn about or from it?  As I sit here, writing, I think that what I was supposed to learn from that is how life is so short.  You have to enjoy the time you have and do the things that make you happy.  If you keep doing what people expect all of the time, you do not get any satisfaction from that.  Therefore, your return on investment is little to nothing.  You cannot spend your life on those situations where the return on effort is less than what you put into it.

As I struggle with others doubting my choice, I really wish that they could see my view.  Understand the sacrifices I made and got nothing in return for the efforts. 

Then, again, it would probably do no good.  It is what it is.  I wish to move on and what I lose in responsibilities, I will gain in "me" time and happiness.  It really is time that I start concentrating on "me."  I do not want to wake up and find out I am too late.