Day to day life can be one big balancing act. Do you understand the importance of a healthy balance between your career, family, and hobbies? We asked CQUni alumni participants of the 30 Minutes a Month program what work-life balance means to them, to gain insight on what is important to individuals in the midst of their career.
Feeling like you don’t have that work-life balance nailed at the moment? We’re here for you. CQUniversity offers students counselling support to assist you with wellness and personal resilience.
Work life balance means…
Always having time for family
Getting all my work done and making sure I am available for my family and having some me-time as well.
- Adam Logan (Bachelor of Applied Science, 1994)
Having a flexible and family-friendly work environment. I’m a mum, and my son is 3 years old - so a flexible work arrangement is important to me.
- Chloe Hong (Master of Marketing, 2017)
Enjoying both my studies and my work and my family life. I try not to let one encroach on another. I am ‘present’ for each. I want to be able to enjoy my study as much as I enjoy my work and my free time. I want to never look at any of it and think that it is a chore that must be tackled.
- Elaine Mann (Bachelor of Nursing, 2020)
Harmony between work and study commitments, time spent with my family, and some alone time to recharge.
- Danielle Bradley (Bachelor of Accounting, 2021)
Taking a holistic view when it comes to my commitments at work and home. There will be times when work spills into my home life and vice versa. The key to any real type of equilibrium depends on your ability to accept the fact that there is an inevitable ebb and flow that’ll mean sacrificing different areas of your life at various times.
- Rachael Webb (Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours), 2019)
A family that has a mutual understanding of each other’s goals. If family is not readily available to support you in that way, then it is a group of friends, or work colleagues, or fellow students, or a community group.
- William Billings (Bachelor of Laws, 2020)
Working hard, playing gentle. Burn out isn’t worth it. I don’t “play hard” so why try to do all the things? I would rather have a relaxing weekend with my small family. Tania Houwing (Master of Professional Accounting, 2020)
Making time to be authentically you
The ability to enjoy life while also doing those necessary activities that take time and effort. Knowing that as a generation, we’re going to be working for the majority of our lives it’s important to remember to work to live, not live to work. This is a cultural change from previous generations but it’s one that is necessary!
- Gabrielle Cornelissen (Bachelor of Education (Secondary), 2020)
Making time for fun and being the authentic you. Ensure you do all the things you value deeply or are important to being you. Such as sleeping, eating, spending time with loved ones, hobbies that you really enjoy.
- Heidi Counsell (Bachelor of Business, 2002, Bachelor of Education (Secondary), 2020)
Your value as an employee doesn’t necessarily increase with the number of hours you work.
- Jenna Patten (Bachelor of Nursing, 2018)
Being able to switch off from work and focus on my non-work life as soon as I’ve left the office or logged off for the day.
- Ben Horsley (Bachelor of Laws, 2020)
Working enough to finance the things that make me happy (such as travel) while also having enough time off to do those things.
- Madeleine Horbury-Wood (Bachelor of Medical Imaging, 2020)
Organisation with a dash of rest
Planning my week to ensure that the scales are not tipped too far either way. Working from home and remotely is great, but maintaining the balance is so very necessary. This is not just the physical, but also mental – to switching off from work and then switch off from home when work is the focus.
- Amanda Graham (Bachelor of Laws, 2019)
No day or week throughout the year looks the same for me with my work schedule, study requirements and social life. But the trick is recognising that there are things that aren’t always going to be “balanced”
- Eiryn Twidale (Bachelor of Nursing, 2020)
Having fun and enjoying and having humour in your conversations. There will be moments where you’ll be in 100 percent work-mode. But in moments when you’re not, have fun with work or you’ll “sugar crash” you’re way out.
- Karan Joon (Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and Diploma of Professional Practice (Co-op Engineering), 2017)
A planned-out fortnight. I work two jobs, one full time and one part time - I utilise both my qualifications I gained from CQUni - but I must have my fortnight planned out in advance. My primary job as a paramedic see’s me working rotating shifts with days afternoons and nights, whereas my part time job as a medical student coordinator allows me more flexibility in scheduling around my roster. I always dedicate at least two days a fortnight to my family.
- Katie Anderson (Graduate Certificate in Adult Education, 2017, Bachelor of Paramedic Science, 2019)
The acknowledged importance of one’s professional and personal lives and keeping these both functional and considerate of each other.
- Krystal Perger (Bachelor of Nursing, 2016)
Like an open book. On one page, I have all the things I need to complete for work and study, and on the other page, I have my self-care list that I ensure I complete every week.
- Shannon Parry (Bachelor of Laws, 2019)
Successfully coordinating the needs of myself and my family with that of my employer. It’s important to remember that it is not a straight continuum – rather it is a wave in which at times I need to give a bit more of myself to one or the other and know that over time the peaks and troughs will balance each other out. Holding steadfast and trying to achieve 100 percent balance all the time is not only impossible, it adds even more weight and pressure to your journey.
- Tenille Dittman (Bachelor of Business, 2018)
Calling all graduates! Want to give your advice to incoming students about things you wish you knew when you were studying? Alumni can sign up to the 30 Minutes a Month program and complete monthly tasks to earn rewards while assisting future students in preparing for the learning journey ahead.
