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Exploring the personal history behind work-life balance choices, one story at a time.
Blog
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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A Fine Balance Launches the Work, Life, Balance Self-Assessment: a Tool for Reflecting on Your Personal Pursuit of Balance
Over the years of blogging and podcasting about how different people balance their work with everything else in life, I’ve witnessed the power of honest self-reflection. Seeking an understanding of the roots of an individual’s work values, I’ve observed, goes a long way in helping make sense of work-life balance choices. Doing so, can foster…
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The Seasonal Impact on Work-Life Balance
On a recent trip to Luxembourg, I spotted a cigarette disposal bin with a twist. It was asking smokers to choose between disposing of their cigarettes according to their answer to the following question: “Which do you prefer: Summer or Winter?” I was amused by this curious way to conduct a poll, but also reminded…
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What the hell is “work-life balance” anyway?
On what’s been dubbed “work life balance week”, it feels appropriate, as the host of a podcast and blog about balancing work with other things in life, to put out a statement. The thing is, the notion of a week dedicated to “work-life balance” sits uneasily with me. Which is somewhat ironic given the subject…
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Finding Work-Life Balance by Escaping the ‘Rat Race’ – NEW PODCAST EPISODE OUT TODAY
This Work, Life, Balance Lessons episode has been inspired by a range of conversations I had with strangers during my summer holiday in Canada. These people – men and women, ranging in ages and professions – had one thing in common: they had all left big cities to locate themselves in remote places of natural…
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Self-Employed or Employed – Which is Better For Your Work-Life Balance? Work, Life, Balance Lesson #6 – NEW PODCAST EPISODE OUT TODAY
Have you ever wondered if you’d have a better work-life balance by quitting your nine-to-five and setting up on your own? Perhaps you are self-employed and considering re-entering the workplace as an employee? Do you think doing so will enhance, or be detrimental, to your work-life balance? Or maybe you’re just generally interested in how…
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Tips on How to Create a Morning Routine That Enhances Your Work-Life Balance: Work, Life, Balance Lesson #5 – NEW PODCAST EPISODE OUT NOW
Do you rely on your morning routine to set yourself up for the day? Could your morning routine do with some improvement? Are you curious about how establishing a morning routine could help enhance how you balance work with everything else in life? If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then this…
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How Do You Improve Your Work-Life Balance When You Hate Your Job? New Podcast Episode Out Now
“Hate” is a strong word, which I don’t use lightly. Yet, it features in the title of the latest podcast episode as a direct quote from people I’ve interviewed for the blog and podcast, A Fine Balance, who have talked about this exact thing. And it’s right that it’s a strong word because when you…
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How To Be A Domestic Goddess
Are you more of a home-made or shop-bought birthday cake kind of parent? My latest podcast guest, Helen Hayward, describes the pride she took in home-making when raising her two children. For her, this was a conscious decision. To be domestic. To make her home a comfortable, nourishing, aesthetically-pleasing haven for her family. Contrary to…
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Finding Balance by Taking a Pause
This weekend, I did probably the most cliché’d thing that a work-life balance blogger and podcaster could do: I went on a yoga retreat. The place I retreated to, set in the Cambridgeshire countryside, is called Paus, and its concept is to do just that: Pause. And find your balance. To focus on “being” instead…
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How Parents Influence Their Children’s Work-Life Balance Choices: Work, Life, Balance Lesson #2 – Podcast Episode Out Now
What did you learn from your parents about the way they worked when you were growing up about the pursuit of balance? 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…
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Interviews
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”
On Flexible Working, Morning Routines, and How To Find a Work-Life Balance When You Like to Be In Charge: New Podcast Episode Out Now, Featuring Rebecca Newenham
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 toContinue reading “On Flexible Working, Morning Routines, and How To Find a Work-Life Balance When You Like to Be In Charge: New Podcast Episode Out Now, Featuring Rebecca Newenham”
On Marketing, Corporate Cultures, Having Fun, and Asking for Help: New Podcast Episode Out Now, Featuring Dan Knowlton
My guest this episode is the marketing professional, business owner, and podcast co-host, Dan Knowlton. Dan readily admits to not taking himself too seriously, and says that finding fun both in and outside of work contributes to his sense of balance. Yet, our conversation during this podcast episode takes a serious turn too, when DanContinue reading “On Marketing, Corporate Cultures, Having Fun, and Asking for Help: New Podcast Episode Out Now, Featuring Dan Knowlton”
Podcast Episode Out Today: On Housekeeping, Middle Age, and the Pursuit of Balance When Your Marriage Comes to an End – Helen’s Story
My interview with Helen Hayward primarily centres around the subject of her latest book, “Home Work”, a series of essays about the work we do around the home. It was fascinating to delve into a discussion on something so ordinary, yet such an integral part of daily domestic life. Helen’s analysis illuminates a perspective ofContinue reading “Podcast Episode Out Today: On Housekeeping, Middle Age, and the Pursuit of Balance When Your Marriage Comes to an End – Helen’s Story”
Finding Balance When You’re An Introvert in a Family and Workplace Full of Extroverts
Season 3, Episode 3 of ‘A Fine Balance – The Podcast’: OUT SOON Subscribe here to be notified when the podcast episode is available to download. And if you enjoy it, please drop a rating and review! “I’m not very good at work-life balance“, said my latest podcast guest sheepishly, after summarising that he choosesContinue reading “Finding Balance When You’re An Introvert in a Family and Workplace Full of Extroverts”
Finding Balance by Turning Your Passion into a Side Hustle: Bettina’s Story
Season 3, Episode 2 of ‘ A Fine Balance – The Podcast’ – Out Now There’s a saying that I’ve heard banded around communities of side hustlers that goes: “Your nine-to-five may make you a living. But your five-to-nine makes you alive“ This certainly rings true for the guest of my next podcast episode, BettinaContinue reading “Finding Balance by Turning Your Passion into a Side Hustle: Bettina’s Story”
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….