Homer Simpson: Okay, Epiphany, Epiphany – Oh I know! Bananas are an excellent source of potassium!

Like Homer Simpson, I too have had an epiphany, although thankfully it did not involve the components of a banana. My epiphany originated from the thought process “Am I as well balanced and happy at work as I feel in my personal life?” This is how I got to my moment of enlightenment …

Although I accepted the fact that as a working mother of two, I spend as much time at work as raising my children, it made me think about how well balanced I am both at work and at work. I searched the internet for articles describing what is defined as having a well-rounded lifestyle.

I found a fantastic self-help to improve one element of my lifestyle: It is a deliciously proven fact, the findings of which have been published in the Journal of Nutrition, that consuming chocolate, wine and tea on a daily basis actually helps improve our cognitive performance. Researchers from Norway and the University of Oxford studied the relationship between cognitive performance and the intake of three common foods that contain flavonoids. Those who consumed chocolate, wine or tea had significantly better mean test scores and a lower prevalence of poor cognitive performance than those who did not. That is a tactic that I will definitely implement to help my balance in life!

We live modern life at an extremely fast pace and the pace at which we work can make it difficult to live a well-balanced life. There is a strong opinion that we must make time to look holistically at our lifestyles to strive for the right balance. “Work, rest and play” is a typical adage that is used. Spending quality time with family and friends, balancing our schedules, and exercising regularly are considered essential to support a fulfilling existence.

On my average 24-hour day, I spend about 8 hours sleeping (as long as I’m not trying to catch up on the recorded episodes of the Sky 1 drama “Lie To Me” at 11pm, when I should go to bed). I have about 8 hours of my own time spread out before and after my workday, which includes taking the kids to school, taxiing and hostess with the ‘mostess’ for the never-ending stream of generally adorable kids who come to drink the tea.

This leaves 8 hours that I dedicate to work. By straining the mathematical side of my brain, I concluded that I spend half of my waking hours working. With that abrupt awakening, I realized that I need to take stock and make sure that I am getting the right balance of satisfaction in my work life as I do with my own time.

As I pondered this, I decided to ask some of my friends what their thoughts on the subject of having a complete lifestyle meant to them. The general consensus was that, on a personal level, you need enough money to live comfortably, be relatively smart, and have lots of friends.

Sounds good until you realize that financial security, intelligence, and popularity so highly regarded are actually the product, not the foundation, of a balanced lifestyle. Therefore, a balanced lifestyle is not innate, but something that we achieve with effort and hard work. So if that is supposedly the criteria for being well-rounded in life, what do we need to feel well-rounded and content in the workplace?

Going back to our friend Homer Simpson, and a conversation from an episode where his lovable boss, Mr. Burns, is giving Homer his job back ……..

Homer: Thanks for giving me my job back, Mr. Burns.

Mr. Burns: I’m afraid it’s not that simple. As punishment for your desertion, it is company policy to cause the plague.

Smithers: Uh, sir, that’s the “badge”.

Mr. Burns: Oh yeah, the special demotivating plaque to break what’s left of your spirit. Because you see, you are here … forever.

[Smithers screws the plaque to the wall]

Mr. Burns: [reading] “Don’t forget, you are here forever.”

From my own perspective, I want to feel motivated and inspired, appreciated, respected, and most importantly, confident. Surely while these factors are incorporated into the foundations of my work environment, the path that I walk daily must be one of fulfillment. Fortunately, my boss does not share the employer ethic that Mr. Burns shares. I don’t need a plaque on my wall to indicate that I am “Employee of the Month”. Fortunately, my boss has created what I think is essentially a well-balanced work environment in which to spend my time … lucky me!

So if you were to compare the balance of your well-being at work, would you find yourself in Jo Dawson’s place of satisfaction or Homer Simpson’s workplace of hell?