Business Builder: Work Life Balance
We have all been there. That place where you realise that you have to choose between your employers (people who pay you), and your health. It can be our mental health, or our physical health, or in my case, both.
Last year I realised something really important. No matter what my employers say, the company will always come before me (be more important than me). Individuals wanted to help me, and individuals cared, but companies do not care. So my employers would tell me they wanted me to take the time I needed, and to get better, but the company would put pressure on me (push me), and punish me (do things I do not like) for being sick.
Here are the things I have learned the hard way:
1. You cannot be happy if you are sick
2. You cannot be happy if you have no free time
3. Money does not make me happy
4. Status (how important I seem to other people) does not make me happy
5. I cannot be happy if I am doing things I think are wrong
6. I cannot be happy if I cannot be myself
7. If I don’t take care of my body and my mind, no one will
These are the reasons I made a very big change in my life. I moved away from working in a way that made me physically and mentally ill, and moved toward (closer to) working in a way that was flexible, relaxed and realistic. I moved away from the stress of doing things I felt were unethical (not morally correct) toward doing things I believe are ethical and really help others. I stopped telling myself “It will be better next month”, and started saying “I will make it better today”.
Are there any ways you can make a change to look after your wellbeing? Your health? Your physical and mental safety?
Actions speak louder than words, and if your employers are not taking action to look after you (taking care of your wellbeing), you must take that action yourself.
Vocabulary: employers, to come before something, to put pressure on someone, to punish someone, status, move toward something, ethical, unethical, look after someone.
