Blogging from A to Z 2022 - Balance

Welcome to Day 2 of the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge (2022) I will be discussing topics of interest to those who identify as women this year. The Book Connection is lucky number 78 in a list of more than 140 bloggers who are participating in 2022. I encourage you to check out the list and visit other blogs with topics of interest.

BALANCE

A long time ago, someone somewhere must have told women they needed to create balance in their lives. If you Google "balance in your life," that returns 7,810,000,000 results. There are tips to find balance, suggestions on the best way to find balance, definitions of what having a balanced life means, suggestions on how to maintain balance, etc. 

Some writers question if work-life balance exists. Others claim it is entirely overrated. This writer shares what women who successfully balance leadership, family, and well-being have in common. 

For me, balance has never existed and is unlikely to ever exist. Why? Here are a few reasons:

1. I'm married to the firstborn male of a Greek family. My mother-in-law, God bless her, waited on that boy from the day he was born until the day he moved into the house we now live in. That worked for their family, and I really didn't even mind being the domestic goddess around here when I was home with the girls, but now that I have a demanding full-time career it is a struggle. No one person can cook, clean, do laundry, grocery shop, work one full-time career and dabble in another. God simply doesn't make enough hours in the day, and even if he did, I would be too tired to stay awake any longer.
2. I failed in chore chart class. I hated chores growing up. I wanted my kids to enjoy life more, because there would be plenty of working later on. So, I now pay the price for not assigning them chores and getting them in the habit of helping out.
3. My energy levels aren't what they used to be. I know if I got back to exercising more regularly--I mean, at all--my energy levels would improve. I just can't seem to fit it in. My sleeping habits have never been great, so that doesn't help either.

What I will say is despite all this, I love my life. I'm grateful I was able to stay home for 11 years with the girls. I'm grateful I have served my family well for so many years. Even though I maintain a hectic schedule, I still make time to volunteer and write (mostly edit, but write when I can). 

For me, satisfaction is way more important than balance. I'm getting better about time blocking (still hate it). I'm sticking to my daily Bible reading this year. I might even read a book or two that will help encourage habits to create a better work-life balance. But, if I'm happy, that's all that matters. 

Do you struggle with work-life balance? What have you tried to improve that balance? Do you think that women struggle with work-life balance more than men? Do you feel women try too hard to find balance?