Work-Life Balance Confessions: Stories and Tips to Enlighten and Inspire How to Juggle What Matters

Have you ever found yourself on a life or career path that took you completely by surprise? When a plan you’d mapped out so clearly in your head didn’t unfold the way you’d imagined — or hoped — it would?Well, my guest in this podcast episode, Lana Manikowski, is no stranger to that kind of turning point. So much so, that she’s written a book entitled So Now What?, and hosts a podcast of the same name, which charts her experience of coming to terms with a reality vastly different from the one she’d envisioned.At the heart of Lana’s story is an infertility struggle that lasted seven years, ultimately leading to the painful realisation that motherhood wasn’t going to be part ofher future — despite her hopes and expectations.The impact on Lana’s working life was profound. It shifted not only her sense of purpose, but also how she viewed her own value and the role that work had played – and was evolving - in her life. In our conversation, Lana opens up about how infertility treatment affected her work-life balance. We also talk about how her identity as the child of immigrants shaped her work ethic and values, and explore her bold transition from corporate life to self-employment. Throughout this episode, I step outside my comfort zone to ask some direct, and at times difficult questions about motherhood and infertility – topics that are often considered off-limits in polite conversation- too personal, too painful and shrouded in stigma. But Lana’s openness, her commitment to breaking the silence around these issues, and her desire to be the role model that she needed during her own darkest times, created the opportunity for us to explore the emotional realities that many women face – but few talk about.In so doing, we get to the heart of how to find balance during infertility treatment, and what it means to rebuild a meaningful working life when the dream of becoming a mum doesn’t come true.RELATED EPISODES: On Work-Life Balance and Infertility Struggles: 14: On Pride, Acceptance & Finding Balance by Parenting Equally While Working Full-Time-Paul's Story - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/14-on-pride-acceptance-finding-balance-by-parenting/id1570430336?i=10006246155951: On self-care, the power of a positive mindset, and finding balance in mid-life - Soli’s Story - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/1-on-self-care-the-power-of-a-positive/id1570430336?i=1000530012085On Collegiate Relations When You Don't Have Caring Responsibilities: 6: “Single & Childfree by Choice”. On boundary-setting & doing what makes you happy - Laurie’s Story - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/6-single-childfree-by-choice-on-boundary-setting-doing/id1570430336?i=1000553872664

In this anonymous work-life balance confession, I share the story of "Susan" (not her real name) who revealed in a confidential interview the emotional and financial struggles she contends with in pursuit of her balance between work and everything else in life.I share Susan's story of the crushing pressure of managing life on her own, with inadequate financial support from her ex-husband and the weight of constantly putting on a brave face for her kids.Her story is one of hidden anxiety, self-doubt, and the deep desire to break the cycles of financial instability and unfulfilled potential in her family.Having never attended university, Susan's journey highlights the extra barriers many face when trying to advance in their careers without formal education.But despite these challenges, Susan’s determination to secure a better future for her children and herself shines through.In summary, this episode touches on the work-life balance impacts of:📚Having left school at 16 and not gaining further qualifications or attending university.💍 Breaking out of an unhappy marriage and undergoing an acrimonious divorce, which involves disputes over finances of raising children.🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 Breaking repetitive destructive cycles of family choices around work and everything else in life.😔 Experiencing "imposter syndrome" at work and not feeling you deserve to be in your job.❤️‍🩹Giving yourself "permission" to take care of your own needs and desires when you're responsible for caring for others.RELATED LINKS:Susan’s Story – Climbing High: on Single Motherhood and Social Mobility: https://a-fine-balance.com/2021/01/20/susans-story-climbing-high-on-single-motherhood-and-social-mobility/.Soli’s Story – “Sunny-Side Up, Please”: Self-Care for Caring Professionals, Finding Balance in Mid-Life & Staying Positive When the Course of Motherhood Doesn’t Run Smooth: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/1-on-self-care-the-power-of-a-positive/id1570430336?i=1000530012085On Finding Balance in Grief, Being a High-Achiever & Overcoming Imposter Syndrome-Katie's Story: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/10-on-finding-balance-in-grief-being-a-high/id1570430336?i=1000602674042

In this episode, self-employed gardener Joe Roukin, otherwise known as Mr Plant Whisperer, joins me for a candid conversation about his experience as a married dad of two who is the primary carer in his family. Joe shares his unique perspective on how to strike the right balance between staying organised and ‘going with the flow’, while tackling work-life pressures with a problem-solving mindset.He opens up about the role that patience plays in his pursuit of balance, and the effectiveness of sometimes "biting your tongue" to avoid conflict, especially when juggling career pursuits and family life. For someone who spends the majority of his working time outdoors, Joe and I discuss the impact that connecting with nature has on his sense of balance, and how the physical side of his job creates opportunities for him to reflect deeply on all aspects of his life – and how this enhances his sense of balance. For Joe, a former graphic designer turned teacher, being creative is the common denominator of his work and home-life ambitions. On this, Joe shares some practical advice for other creatives in pursuit of their balance. Joe’s approach to working fatherhood is refreshingly authentic and pragmatic, and throughout our conversation we explore the notion of partners in a marriage supporting one another to achieve their desired goals, and a balance that works for each one individually. Tune in on Spotify, Apple or wherever you usually get your podcasts, for an inspiring and uplifting conversation, which covers:  🗂️🌊 Striking a balance between being organised and going with the flow🧮 Applying a problem-solving mindset to cope with work-life balance pressures💆🏼‍♂️ Coping with work-life balance stress by ‘biting your tongue’ to avoid conflict🕰️ Finding balance when you’re a patient person🌳 Connecting with nature and spending time outdoors🧑‍🎨The pursuit of balance as a creative person, and after leaving the teaching profession👥 Supporting one another in a marriage to find mutual work-life balance RELATED EPISODES AND BLOG LINKS: On Fathers Being the Primary Carer Within a Marriage: Joe Roukin’s wife Sheara’s Work-Life Balance Profile: “Sheara’s Story – Behind the Movie Scenes: A Tale of Full-Time Working Motherhood”: https://a-fine-balance.com/2020/09/03/work-life-balance-profile-2-sheara-abrahams/ John’s Story – “It’s a Dad’s World”: On fatherhood, Male Primary Care-Giving & Gender Equality: https://a-fine-balance.com/2021/03/21/johns-story-its-a-dads-world-on-fatherhood-male-primary-care-giving-gender-equality/ On Leaving the Teaching Profession: Laura's Story - On Teenage Pregnancy, Teacher Burnout & Finding Balance When You’re “Busy”: https://a-fine-balance.com/2023/05/26/a-fine-balance-the-podcast-season-2-episode-5-out-now/

This solo episode is dedicated to an anonymous "Work-Life Balance Confession" of a woman named Kerry (*not her real name), who did not want to reveal her identity. Kerry's work-life balance story originally featured on the blog, and centred on the themes of finding a work-life balance when: 📋You have a never-ending ‘to-do list’ 🤰You're a solo parent (Kerry pursued IVF with a sperm donor, so is raising her son independently)🧑‍🧒You have a child with additional needs 💯You're a Perfectionist👯‍♀️You're in a job-shareKerry brings a new dimension to the work:life ratio I ask all my guests to reflect on, inserting the element of “play”, which for her has been lacking since becoming a mother:“It never feels like a day when I don’t have lots to do. Where is the fun? Where is the play?”A reminder, if ever we need one, of how joy is so intrinsic to the pursuit of balance.RELATED EPISODES AND BLOG LINKS: Write-up of my original interview with Kerry: https://a-fine-balance.com/2023/06/07/finding-balance-when-the-to-do-list-is-never-done-kerrys-story-on-solo-motherhood-job-sharing-and-the-lure-of-the-expatriate-lifestyle/On being a high-achiever and perfectionist: 38: How to Find a Work-Life Balance When You're a Perfectionist - Work, Life, Balance Lesson #8Work-Life Balance Confessions: Stories and Tips to Enlighten and Inspire How to Juggle What Matters10: On Finding Balance in Grief, Being a High-Achiever & Overcoming Imposter Syndrome-Katie's Story Work-Life Balance Confessions: Stories and Tips to Enlighten and Inspire How to Juggle What MattersOn Single Parenting: 2: On competitiveness, co-parenting & surviving job loss - Jhilmil’s Story Work-Life Balance Confessions: Stories and Tips to Enlighten and Inspire How to Juggle What Matters

In this episode of A Fine Balance, we explore some serious life challenges that can impact a person's work-life balance, through the personal story of my guest Lorna McKenna. Lorna works full-time in local government, alongside running her passion project of coaching and hosting a personal development podcast called "Evolve & Expand". She is also expecting her first child so is on the cusp of some pretty seismic changes in 2025. Throughout our conversation, we cover: 💰Lorna's personal journey through debt - the anxiety and shame that came with it, and how it challenged her sense of balance. 🫦What it’s like to struggle with body image and the impact that this, and perpetually striving to lose weight, can have on a person’s work-life balance and mental well-being. 👥Lorna's experience of being let go from a role she had fully invested herself into. This shifted her work-life balance perspective profoundly as she faced the stark reality that "everyone is replaceable ". 🕰️ Plus, we dive into practical tips on how freeing up your schedule can create more balance in both work and home life. As the first podcast episode of the year and the Season, Lorna and I talk about new beginnings and she shares some wise words on embracing change and new beginnings. I hope the ideas that she shares supports listeners as they consider what finding a work-life balance in 2025 means to them. RELATED EPISODES: On diary management and scheduling: 27: On Flexible Working, Morning Routines, and How To Find a Work-Life Balance When You Like to Be In Charge: Rebecca Newenham's Story: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/dalya-wittenberg2/episodes/27-On-Flexible-Working--Morning-Routines--Finding-Balance-When-Youre-In-Charge---Rebeccas-Story-e2jd8tu/a-aaoejho On debt and financial worries:  25: On Work-Life Balance in Marketing and Corporate Jobs, Having Fun & Asking for Help - Dan Knowlton's Story: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/dalya-wittenberg2/episodes/25-On-Work-Life-Balance-in-Marketing-and-Corporate-Jobs--Having-Fun--Asking-For-Help---Dans-Story-e2i8717/a-aaoejho You can listen to my interview on Lorna's podcast, "Evolve & Expand", here: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/lorna-mckenna/episodes/83-Creating-Your-Own-Version-of-Balance-with-Dalya-Wittenberg-e2hmns6/a-ab47245

9/11 marked a dramatic turning point in the working life of this episode's guest, Routh Chadwick, a New York resident who at the time was an aspiring actress. The career changes that evolved from thereon maintained a degree of drama, as Routh went on to train as a clinical social worker and counsellor. From TV sets as a counsellor on the Jeremy Kyle show, to caring for patients on the psych ward, Routh's work-life balance limits were tested, leading her to set the boundaries she has in place today between her work and everything else in life. In this episode, as well as hearing her own fascinating work-life balance story , Routh shares her professional expertise on the pursuit of balance, including: *The impact that smartphones and social media have on the pursuit of balance*Recovering from experiencing panic attacks at work*Overcoming burn-out*Finding a balance between being a creative, and seeking stability*The pursuit of balance when you're child-free RELATED EPISODES: On finding balance when you have a smartphone and engage in social media: https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/G61tbY7G5Obhttps://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/0UjjK17G5ObOn being child-free: https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/uN3C77hH5ObOn burn-out: https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/xjHWFdiH5Obhttps://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/xUBeNc8G5Obhttps://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/RU0kHOoH5Ob

In this episode of A Fine Balance – The Podcast, I’m joined by Faust Ruggiero, a US-based therapist and author whose career spans over 35 years of working with people from all walks of life. From his time in clinics, prisons, and inpatient facilities to his role as a consultant for major corporations, Faust brings a wealth of knowledge and practical insight. Throughout our conversation, Faust introduces his “process life program,” a method he developed to help people find inner balance across four key areas: physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual. He also shares his personal journey of balancing a full-time practice with raising four children, leading to the creation of The Fix Yourself Empowerment Series—a collection of guides focused on overcoming common struggles like anxiety, depression, and anger. This episode is for you if: - You're interested in reflecting on what balance really means, both in work and in life; - You'd like to learn some tips for creating a sense of calm and stability from within; - You work as a therapist and would like to understand the work-life balance challenges that like-minded professionals contend with and how they overcome them. If this episode resonates with you, you may also want to check out Episode #7 from our back catalogue: Five Steps to Improve Your Work-Life Balance - with Annabel Jeffcoate https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dalya-wittenberg2/episodes/7-BONUS-EPISODE-Five-Steps-to-Improve-Your-Work-Life-Balance---with-Annabel-Jeffcoate-e1gvjkt As we approach the end of 2024, this will be the last interview episode of Season 3 of A Fine Balance – The Podcast. We’ll be back in 2025 with more in-depths interviews from people of all backgrounds, professions, occupations, and stages of life. Some will have found their work-life balance sweet spot; others will still be in pursuit of balance. All of them, no doubt, will have lessons to share, which I look forward to exploring more of in the new year too. Meanwhile, I hope listeners enjoy this final interview episode of 2024, which was recorded back in the summer, featuring a work-life balance pro who offers some tangible and practical advice on how to find that sweet balance spot. You can join the online 'A Fine Balance' community by looking up our page on LinkedIn, and following @afinebalance_podcast on Instagram.

Work-life balance isn’t typically a topic you’d associate with single, young professionals with no caring responsibilities. Yet, as this episode's guest, a business development manager and creator of the Single Sounds podcast, Katie McNamara shares, this is a time in life when there’s a lot going on. When you're starting out in your career and independent life, there are plenty of decisions that need to be taken about how to spend your time and set your priorities. To name but a few… social arrangements, work commitments and building on career ambitions, developing extra-curricular interests and fitness, maintaining family connections, independent living (cooking, cleaning for yourself, and/or navigating shared living with housemates). And then, for those looking for love, there’s the additional preoccupation of dating and all that that involves: making time to peruse apps, chat online with potential partners, go on dates etc… Like I said, there’s a lot going on. Finding balance amidst it all is just as valid at this stage of life as it is for the people that I’ve interviewed who are in relationships and have caring responsibilities to juggle on top of their careers. Interviewing Katie provided an abundance of insight into the pursuit of balance when you’re single and looking for love - and lots more besides (including some deeply existential questions about the meaning of life). Below are links to some of the 'A Fine Balance' podcast episodes and blog posts referenced, and other singletons and under-30s that have previously shared their work-life balance stories. Finding Balance on Her Own Terms: “Single by Choice; Childfree by Choice”. Laurie’s Story – On Doing ‘What Suits You’: https://a-fine-balance.com/2022/03/13/a-fine-balance-the-podcast-episode-6-out-now/ On burnout and finding balance in the early stages of working life - Tahmid’s Story: https://a-fine-balance.com/2021/09/29/a-fine-balance-the-podcast-episode-3-out-now/

This is a special episode to mark Disability Pride Month, which falls every July. My guest is Emma Livingstone, a married mum of three, who, in 2018, founded a campaigning movement called "UP - The Adult Cerebral Palsy Movement", to improve care services for adults living with Cerebral Palsy (CP). Emma was diagnosed with CP in childhood, but it was only when she reached adulthood that she realised how monumental the barriers were to her living her best life with all the challenges posed by her disability.   Throughout my interview with Emma, we touch on some of the practical ways that Emma finds her balance, and the power that shifting into the mindset of “owning” your disability, has had for Emma.   The principles of self-acceptance and empowerment are core tenets of Disability Pride Month. Similarly, self-acceptance and empowerment - for example of setting your boundaries and deciding what your priorities are – are core tenets also of finding a work-life balance that works for you. So, a lot of our conversation, while focusing on living with a disability, actually - unexpectedly - pointed to  some of the universal foundations of the pursuit of balance.   Being proud of yourself and your choices, while remaining open to showing your vulnerability, is not an easy balance to strike. This is a challenge that Emma has faced head on. In doing so, she has learned that embracing vulnerability, asking for help, and living in the moment, are some of the greatest assets to finding balance when living with a disability. To read more about my interview with Emma, go to www.a-fine-balance.com/podcast.

Do you plan your day’s outfit the night before? Guided by the mantra of “setting yourself up for the day ahead”, Rebecca is resolute that incorporating time first thing in the morning to exercise her mind and body provides her with the foundation to live a balanced life. Eliminating the need to decide what to wear, and find said clothes and accessories, buys her time and headspace to fit this all in before her day begins in earnest. In this episode, Rebecca provides examples of a range of similar techniques and approaches that she’s adopted over the years to help foster a positive work-life balance, including: 📕 Writing a journal👓 Creating an annual vision board👯‍♂️ Seeking out mentors and coaches for support😌 Taking time to do the things that bring you joy🫶 Creating opportunities to make happy memories with loved ones Rebecca has always described herself as a person that likes “to be in charge”. This is a notion that we explore in depth throughout the episode, challenging the definition of what this actually means in practice and what it takes to let things go and trust others in order to find a balance. Working flexibly, is at the heart of Rebecca's work-life balance story. This has enabled her not only to have the family life that she desires, but to pursue her own interests as we. In this episode, we unpick the ways that flexible working impacts on a person’s sense of balance, and Rebecca talks me through her approach to making flexible working work, for employers, employees and the self-employed. To read more about my interview with Rebecca, go to www.a-fine-balance.comm/podcast.

This podcast episode features Dan Knowlton, a marketing professional, business owner, and podcast co-host. Our conversation covers the pursuit of balance and… 📈Being a marketing professional and business owner 🌆Corporate working cultures 😊Having fun both in and outside work 👬Sibling dynamics 👤Fatherhood and being the parent in a partnership that doesn’t carry the mental load 💪🏼Going to the gym To read more about my interview with Dan, go to: www.a-fine-balance.com/podcast (https://a-fine-balance.com/2024/05/22/on-marketing-corporate-cultures-having-fun-and-asking-for-help-new-podcast-episode-out-now-featuring-dan-knowlton/) You can find out more about Dan and his brother Lloyd's agency Knowlton, and their podcast Business Anchors, at www.knowltonmarketing.co.uk.

The tiresome chores required to maintain a house and sustain the lives within it are more than the sum of their parts. They create a home, and a safe and comfortable haven, both for individuals and for raising a family. Do they, therefore, fall under the “work” or “home” sides of the work-life balance equation?They certainly often feel like work. Hard work. Yet, they’re unpaid and occupy the time spent when not “at work”. This podcast episode, features the writer and “home worker” Helen Hayward. In this episode, we discuss: 📕 Helen’s new book, which challenges criticisms of domesticity from the likes of feminist icons like Simone de Beauvoir. 🧚‍♂️ The “Cinderella” moments of being a career-oriented mother and a home-maker. 👵🏼 The pursuit of balance when you are caring for ageing parents as well as a family home and children. 💍 The pursuit of balance when your marriage comes to an end. 👩‍👧Mother-daughter dynamics and finding balance as you seek your own path, and experience rejection. 🧽 Finding meaning and creativity in housework, housekeeping, and home-making - all the “work” that makes a house a home. Some tips, tricks, and inspiration to find your balance when this is part of your “job” and identity. 🙏🏼 The meaning of life. You can read more about my interview with Helen at www.a-fine-balance.com/podcast.

What did you learn from your parents about the way they worked when you were growing up?Did their work-life balance approach inspire you to follow in their footsteps? Or did it have the opposite effect and encourage you to do things differently? In turn as a parent yourself, how do you think the values you place on your work are internalised by your children? Does it matter? In this short Work, Life Balance Lesson segment I try to unpack this knotty subject of parent-child dynamic through sharing examples of the observations I've made on the subject, and reaching some concluding lessons that have stayed with me from all those conversations.Here are the links to some of the interviews referenced in this episode, and you can access the full catalogue of 'A Fine Balance' interviews at www.a-fine-balance.com. "Parent Power" blog post: https://a-fine-balance.com/2021/04/19/parent-power/"Matthew’s Story: The Work-Life Balance Logic of a Full-Time NHS Key Worker – It’s a Science, not an Art": https://a-fine-balance.com/2020/12/23/matthews-story-work-life-balance-logic-its-a-science-not-an-art/Jhilmil’s Story – “My Work, My Identity”: on competitiveness, co-parenting & surviving job loss:https://a-fine-balance.com/2021/08/30/a-fine-balance-the-podcast-episode-2-out-now/"On Not Being Career-Oriented and Finding Balance as a Musician and a Newlywed": https://a-fine-balance.com/2023/02/03/its-official-season-two-of-a-fine-balance-the-podcast-is-live/"Finding Balance in Retirement: Tom’s Story – on Empathy, Leadership & Passion for your Vocation": https://a-fine-balance.com/2022/06/18/a-fine-balance-the-podcast-episode-8-out-now/"Soli’s Story – “Sunny-Side Up, Please”: Self-Care for Caring Professionals, Finding Balance in Mid-Life & Staying Positive When the Course of Motherhood Doesn’t Run Smooth": https://a-fine-balance.com/2021/07/26/happy-1st-birthday-a-fine-balance/."Tahmid’s Story – Ethnic minority beginnings, burnout and career change": https://a-fine-balance.com/2021/09/29/a-fine-balance-the-podcast-episode-3-out-now/

My guest this episode is Rami Madbouli, who, at the time of this podcast recording, was working as a Private Secretary to Ministers in the UK Government’s Department of Health & Social Care. Rami’s 90:10 work:life ratio is the highest figure weighting on the work side that has featured on ‘A Fine Balance’. And whilst this is a work-life balance that – on the whole – works well for Rami, he says that he usually finds that it's met with disapproval. That Rami applies a 90:10 figure on his work:life ratio was, as always, just a starting point to our conversation. In the process, we touch on: What it’s like when you feel proud and motivated by the mission of your work, even if you’re not paid any extra for working more than your contracted hours; Work being something that identifies who you are at any given stage in life; Finding balance in a relationship when both partners are career-oriented and ambitious; Making work-life balance choices that deviate from what’s considered “normal” by your peers both in and outside of work; Modelling your work-life balance choices according to your upbringing, and opting to make choices different to those that your parents made when you were growing up; and Rami’s tips for squeezing more into one day than you may have thought possible. At the heart of his story though, was Rami’s description of being an introvert, and how he recharges his energy by spending time alone rather than by surrounding himself with other people. This provided a rich, and essentially logical, backdrop to the hours that Rami chooses to dedicate to his work, and, indeed, how he chooses to spend his time outside of work too. To read more about my interview with Rami and with those other people mentioned on this podcast episode, go to: www.a-fine-balance.com/podcast.

I have learned so much from all the interviews I’ve conducted since launching my blog in 2020 – asking people from all walks of life about the choices they make when balancing work with everything else.Over time I’ve gathered many examples of actions that people have taken to find their balance. I’ve also noticed common themes emerging from them. So I’ve decided to introduce some short bitesize podcast episodes to showcase and reflect on some of these lessons, which I hope listeners will find useful in considering their own work:life ratio.The first lesson I’d like to showcase is an issue that I’ve covered recently on the blog and podcast, and that is finding balance when you have a smartphone and you engage with social media. You can read up about all the interviews I reference on the episode at www.a-fine-balance.com.