Work Life Balance

So yesterday saw the end of David Cameron’s time as UK Prime Minister. A role that no doubt engrossed a large portion of his waking hours. Perhaps 16 hour days as the norm and then of course there would be working at the weekends. Allied to all of this he would have to endure a level of media scrutiny that endured by entertainment of sports celebrities. All of this for an annual salary of £143,462. A salary well above the national average but hardly a King’s ransom.

Effectively, Mr Cameron’s position became untenable and he had no choice to resign. As evidenced by the photo opportunity on departure he had a nice family to go back to. So, he had a life to go back to. Interests, friends etc…

What if this happened to any of us? What if your job, research or PhD opportunity became untenable? Would you have a life with which to engage? When research or a job become immensely satisfying or demanding we tend to invest a huge amount of ourselves into it.

There is a little industry that has sprung up around work life balance. Some of this focuses on the area of Mind, Body and Spirit. There is coaching and mindfulness amongst a suite of other ‘therapies’. However, perhaps the key counterbalance to an over-emphasis on work or research is to have a balanced life whereby, should things go badly in in one area there are other areas to “fall back on”. So, whilst losing your job or research grant may not result in a walk along Downing Street; a balanced life may ensure there are sources of support you can return to.

The tumult and the shouting dies;
The Captains and the Kings depart:
Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice,
An humble and a contrite heart

Rudyard Kipling