BH CORRESPONDENT, Mumbai: In one of the panel discussions in Mumbai some years ago, former chairperson of State Bank of India, Arundhati Bhattacharya had said that 43 per cent of the women leave the profession who join within the first 15 years. So that tells a lot about a woman who struggles hard to strike a work-life balance. Sanna Vohra, CEO and founder, The Wedding Brigade, informs us any day that is all “work” and no “home” leaves her feeling completely drained. “There were definitely days that ended in frustration and tears, but I largely felt that I was able to get everything done – and enjoy the process too. While my perspective of work-life balance may resonate more with women, I truly believe it is applicable to all genders.” On International Women’s Day, Sanna has some suggestions for women entrepreneurs to ensure a better work-life balance.
Manage expectations: Work-life balance seems ideal in theory. To be able to manage expectations at home with family, however, you have to be extremely transparent with your schedule. Keep your family engaged in the process, tell them about what you can be available for and what you cannot be available for. Involve them in the process of prioritizing your commitments and I can assure you, as your greatest cheerleaders, your family will be nothing but accommodating in return.
Talk to a life coach: Coaching can create a comfortable space for you to address your personal and professional conflicts, helping you achieve the right balance. It is a great way to step out and get more out of your day. A life coach can help you prioritize, scale and upgrade you towards a new way of thinking and living which is important for your personal life as well as your business.
Be flexible: You may have an hour or two of work left to do, but if you are meeting your friends for dinner at 8, go to dinner and get the work done later at night or the next morning. The beauty of being an entrepreneur is having a little more control over your schedule, so use it to make sure you are getting the emotional nourishment you need!
Treating timelines as sacrosanct: Block family time in calendars as you do for your work. This will let your colleagues, teams know of your personal commitments as well, and you can make sure to get work done well ahead of small breaks. This will allow your time with your family/friends to be more stress-free as well.
Finding time to do something just for yourself every day: The big part of work-life balance is not just spending time with your family or at work, it is also about taking out time for yourself. Between playing your role as a wife, a friend, a sister, a daughter, and a founder you need to take out time and invest in yourself. You can do this through meditation, yoga, running, swimming, a spa day or even Netflix! Anything that brings you peace and a little self-indulgence will have such a positive impact on your relationships and work as well.
