Know Yourself.
Understand Others.
Exploring the personal history behind work-life balance choices, one story at a time.
Blog
It’s International Podcast Day!
I would love if anyone that’s listened to the A Fine Balance: Work-Life Balance Confessions podcast would take a moment today to let me know which episode they’ve enjoyed and why. The vanity metrics of podcast growth are all well and good, but nothing beats listener feedback to help shape the content I’m creating and…
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50th Celebration Episode Out Now
What do turning 4 and hitting 50 have in common? Together they mean that the podcast A Fine Balance: Work-Life Balance Confessions is officially old enough to contain some wisdom, but still in its infancy and curious to learn more. This month not only marks the podcast’s 4th birthday, but also the major milestone of…
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✨Take Part in the 50th Podcast Episode Celebration✨
The next podcast episode I’m producing marks a huge milestone in the life of A Fine Balance: Work-Life Balance Confessions – it’s the podcast’s 50th episode! To celebrate, this episode will be different to my usual format with a few surprises, including a run-down of the TOP THREE most downloaded Work, Life Balance Lessons. I’d love to…
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Going Live Tonight on Instagram with Lana Manikowski: On the Pursuit of Balance When Undergoing Infertility Treatment, and How to Regain Balance and Find Purpose in Unexpected Circumstances
You think your calendar’s chaotic? Try syncing it with an IVF cycle. When your body won’t stick to the plan, how do you balance career, identity, and everything in between? Lana Manikowski and I are going LIVE on Instagram this evening, Wednesday 18 June at 20.00 BST, to dive deeper into the themes that we…
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Going Live on Instagram With Victoria Mortimer (AKA The Unlikely Accountant)! Join us Today at 14.00 BST
What are you doing at 14.00 (BST) today? If you’ve got 30 minutes and a cup of coffee, join me LIVE on Instagram with the incredible Victoria Mortimer ACA (aka The Unlikely Accountant)! We’ll be diving deeper into our recent podcast episode On Accountancy, Regaining Balance After Heartbreak, and the Power of a Good Night’s…
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The Pursuit of Work-Life Balance When You’re Grieving – NEW PODCAST EPISODE OUT TODAY
This Work, Life Balance Lesson episode is not an easy one to broach because it’s on a highly sensitive subject, and one which hits everyone in an individually unique way: grief, and the interplay between bereavement and work-life balance. I’m reminded of the old adage that there are only two sure things in life: death…
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My Happy Place
Outside the sun was shining, but I was happy cooped up in my new makeshift podcast studio this afternoon, recording yet another interview for A Fine Balance: Work-Life Balance Confessions. Yes, as a result of some hardcore spring cleaning over the last couple of months, I’ve carved out a new, dedicated space in my home…
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How Does Feeling Judged Impact Your Work-Life Balance, and What Can You Do to Manage Your Reactions to it? – NEW PODCAST EPISODE OUT TODAY
Do you ever feel judged for how you balance work with everything else in life? Or feel that people’s judgments about you – at work or in your personal life – impact your overall sense of balance? If so, you’re not alone. The subject of feeling judged, and the reactions it evokes, often arises in…
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No Message Could’ve Been Any Clearer
What work:life ratio would Michael Jackson have given, I wonder. From the way he was portrayed in the sensational London West End production of MJ The Musical, which I saw last night – tortured, sensitive, and both pushed and driven to succeed – he was a perfectionist with a work ethic to be reckoned with.…
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Time-Management Tips to Improve Your Work-Life Balance – NEW PODCAST EPISODE OUT TODAY
Creating a meal-planner often comes up in podcast conversations as the ‘gold standard’ of time-management. Plan what you and your family are going to eat every day of the week, shop and prepare accordingly, and sorted: you’ve truly got your life together. I’m not knocking it. It’s a great, simple technique that anyone can adopt…
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How Feeling Grateful Improved My Work-Life Balance (Albeit Momentarily)
It’s not unusual for a podcast episode I’m working on to infiltrate my thoughts as I go about my day. But the subject of my most recent episode has lingered longer than usual. For those that need a reminder, the episode was called “How Harnessing Gratitude Can Improve Work-Life Balance: Work, Life, Balance Lesson #10“,…
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How Tapping into Your Feelings of Gratitude Can Improve Your Work-Life Balance – NEW PODCAST EPISODE OUT TODAY
In the latest podcast episode of A Fine Balance: Work-Life Balance Confessions, out today, I dive into the lessons I’ve learned about the transformative power of gratitude and its profoundly positive impact on work-life balance. Drawing from the real-life experiences of past podcast guests, I explore how cultivating gratitude has shaped their perspectives, helping them…
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How to Find a Work-Life Balance by Working More – NEW PODCAST EPISODE OUT TODAY
The rhetoric around work-life balance is often twinned with messaging around self-care and well-being. And whilst it’s true that the end result of improving your work-life balance is usually an enhanced sense of well-being, there are many ways in which a person can get to that point. And one of those is by working more.…
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The Juggling Act of Work-Life Balance
Last night I heard an analogy that I thought might resonate with listeners of the A Fine Balance podcast. It did for me at least. The message was essentially that balancing work with everything else in life is like juggling many balls at once: some of those are made of rubber, so if you drop…
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New Year, New Look
It’s that time of year again… A few years ago, I downloaded a workbook from Lyrical Host, the company I use to host my blog. It prompts reflections on the past year to review website activity and plan ahead. Since then I’ve launched a podcast too, so I add my podcasting activity into my review…
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“A Fine Balance – The Podcast”: Past, Present & Future
In the spirit of the upcoming holidays, the latest episode of A Fine Balance touches on the past, present and future of the podcast. On the past, I take a look back at what prompted me to create a podcast that delves into the subject of how different people pursue their balance between work and…
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Interviews
On Being Bored and Unfulfilled at Work, Virtual Assistant Diary Management Tips, and Finding Work-Life Balance by Quitting Your Corporate 9-5 and Starting Your Own Business – NEW PODCAST EPISODE OUT TODAY FEATURING WOW MOM’S RACHEL GREEN
Burnout at work can be like a fire that flames intensely until it eventually devours all its fuel and extinguishes in exhaustion. Conversely, boredom at work can be more of a fading ember, gradually fizzling out into oblivion. What they have in common, however, is their potential to lead to a similar work-life balance tippingContinue reading “On Being Bored and Unfulfilled at Work, Virtual Assistant Diary Management Tips, and Finding Work-Life Balance by Quitting Your Corporate 9-5 and Starting Your Own Business – NEW PODCAST EPISODE OUT TODAY FEATURING WOW MOM’S RACHEL GREEN”
On Autism, Conscientiousness, Self-Acceptance, and the Pursuit of Work-Life Balance as a Neurodivergent Person in a Neurotypical World – NEW PODCAST EPISODE OUT NOW, FEATURING HELEN JEFFRIES
I’m sorry to say that I’ve had to include a trigger warning at the start of the podcast episode out today, to warn listeners that some of the themes touched on throughout my recorded conversation with Helen Jeffries – a Senior Civil Servant in the UK Government, a prolific blogger on autism, a Trustee forContinue reading “On Autism, Conscientiousness, Self-Acceptance, and the Pursuit of Work-Life Balance as a Neurodivergent Person in a Neurotypical World – NEW PODCAST EPISODE OUT NOW, FEATURING HELEN JEFFRIES”
On Accountancy, Regaining Balance After Heartbreak, and the Power of a Good Night’s Sleep – NEW PODCAST EPISODE OUT NOW
When things feel right at work, it becomes so much easier to find a balance with everything else in life. And when things don’t, everything else can feel off kilter too. In the latest episode of the A Fine Balance: Work-Life Balance Confessions podcast, I sit down with Victoria Mortimer, a chartered accountant whose careerContinue reading “On Accountancy, Regaining Balance After Heartbreak, and the Power of a Good Night’s Sleep – NEW PODCAST EPISODE OUT NOW”
On Legacy, Purpose, and Finding Work-Life Balance When You’re Working as a Politician and Elected Official – NEW PODCAST EPISODE OUT NOW
What do you want to be remembered for? It’s a heavy question, I know. But when it comes to calibrating your work-life balance and deciding how to spend your limited time and energy, it’s one worth asking. What really matters in the end? And when I look back on my life, what do I wantContinue reading “On Legacy, Purpose, and Finding Work-Life Balance When You’re Working as a Politician and Elected Official – NEW PODCAST EPISODE OUT NOW”
The Pursuit of Balance When Undergoing Infertility Treatment, and How to Regain Balance and Find Purpose in Unexpected Circumstances – NEW PODCAST EPISODE OUT TODAY
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 kindContinue reading “The Pursuit of Balance When Undergoing Infertility Treatment, and How to Regain Balance and Find Purpose in Unexpected Circumstances – NEW PODCAST EPISODE OUT TODAY”
An Uphill Climb: One Woman’s Story of Social Mobility, Single Motherhood, and Work-Life Balance
Do you think there’s a direct correlation between educational attainment and imposter syndrome? The latest podcast episode of Work-Life Balance Confessions: A Fine Balance is about a woman who did not progress her education past high school. For legal reasons pertaining to her acrimonious divorce, she chose not to reveal her true identity, so weContinue reading “An Uphill Climb: One Woman’s Story of Social Mobility, Single Motherhood, and Work-Life Balance”
On Climbing the Career Ladder When You Haven’t Gone to University, and Single Motherhood When You’re Co-Parenting Following an Acrimonious Divorce – NEW PODCAST EPISODE OUT TOMORROW
In the upcoming episode of Work-Life Balance Confessions: A Fine Balance, I share the anonymous “work-life balance confession” of someone who, for legal reasons pertaining to an acrimonious divorce, did want to reveal her true identity. We agreed on the pseudonym “Susan”, who revealed in a confidential interview the emotional and financial struggles she contendsContinue reading “On Climbing the Career Ladder When You Haven’t Gone to University, and Single Motherhood When You’re Co-Parenting Following an Acrimonious Divorce – NEW PODCAST EPISODE OUT TOMORROW”
On Being a Primary-Caring Father, Juggling Work and Home Life With Creativity and Patience, and Finding Work-Life Balance as a Self-Employed Gardener – NEW PODCAST EPISODE OUT NOW
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 theContinue reading “On Being a Primary-Caring Father, Juggling Work and Home Life With Creativity and Patience, and Finding Work-Life Balance as a Self-Employed Gardener – NEW PODCAST EPISODE OUT NOW”
Finding a Work-Life Balance When The ‘To Do’ List is Never Done: NEW PODCAST EPISODE OUT NOW
This solo episode covers the “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 aContinue reading “Finding a Work-Life Balance When The ‘To Do’ List is Never Done: NEW PODCAST EPISODE OUT NOW”
On the Hidden Impact of Debt, Body Image Struggles, and Being “Replaceable” – Lorna’s Story. NEW PODCAST EPISODE OUT NOW!
The first episode of Season 4 of A Fine Balance is out now! In it, we explore some serious life challenges that can underlyingly 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 personalContinue reading “On the Hidden Impact of Debt, Body Image Struggles, and Being “Replaceable” – Lorna’s Story. NEW PODCAST EPISODE OUT NOW!”
Routh’s Story – On Panic Attacks, Career Changes, and Regaining Balance After Hitting Rock Bottom: NEW PODCAST EPISODE OUT NOW
9/11 marked a dramatic turning point in the working life of the latest A Fine Balance © podcast 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 socialContinue reading “Routh’s Story – On Panic Attacks, Career Changes, and Regaining Balance After Hitting Rock Bottom: NEW PODCAST EPISODE OUT NOW”
How To Reset Your Work-Life Balance by Mastering Four Internal Elements – With Faust Ruggiero – NEW PODCAST EPISODE OUT TODAY
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 bringsContinue reading “How To Reset Your Work-Life Balance by Mastering Four Internal Elements – With Faust Ruggiero – NEW PODCAST EPISODE OUT TODAY”
Finding Balance When You’re Single and Looking for Love – Katie’s Story: NEW PODCAST EPISODE OUT TODAY
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 andContinue reading “Finding Balance When You’re Single and Looking for Love – Katie’s Story: NEW PODCAST EPISODE OUT TODAY”
Click here for the full ‘Work-Life Balance Profiles’ series
Giving voice to the multitude of work-life balance possibilities for both men and women.
Celebrating role models from across the working spectrum.
I begin each interview by asking my subject to put a self-perceived figure on their current work:life ratio, and whether they aspire for it to be any different.
Of course, quantifying something this multi-faceted isn’t a science.
But it’s a good place to start for getting to the heart of their story….