Like Homer Simpson, I too have had an epiphany, although thankfully it didn’t involve the components of a banana. My epiphany came from the thought process “Am I as well balanced and content at work as I am in my personal life?” That’s how I got to my moment of enlightenment…

Coming to terms with the fact that, as a working mother of 2, I spend as much time at work as I do taking care of my children, it made me think about how well balanced I am both at work and at work. , I searched the internet for articles that described what is defined as having a well-rounded lifestyle.

I found a fantastic version of self-help to improve an element of my lifestyle: It’s a deliciously proven fact, the findings of which were published in the Journal of Nutrition, that consuming chocolate, wine, and tea on a daily basis actually helps improve our cognitive performance. Researchers from Norway and the University of Oxford studied the relationship between cognitive performance and intake of three common flavonoid-containing foods. Those who consumed chocolate, wine or tea had significantly better mean test scores and a lower prevalence of poor cognitive performance than those who did not. That is a tactic that I will definitely implement to help my balance in life!

We live modern life at an extremely fast pace and the pace at which we work can make it difficult to live a well-balanced life. There is a strong opinion that we need to make time to look holistically at our lifestyles to strive for the right balance. “Work, rest and play” is a typical adage that is repeated. Spending quality time with family and friends, balancing our schedules, and getting regular exercise are considered essential to support a fulfilling existence.

In my average 24-hour day, I spend about 8 hours sleeping (as long as I’m not trying to catch up on taped episodes of the Sky 1 drama “Lie to Me” at 11pm when I should be going to bed). I have about 8 hours of my own time spread out before and after my workday, including taking the kids to school, playing taxi driver, and hosting the ‘mossa’ of the endless stream of generally adorable kids who come in for tea .

This leaves 8 hours that I spend working. Straining the mathematical side of my brain, I came to the conclusion that I spend half of my waking hours working. With that rude awakening, I realized that I need to take stock and make sure I’m getting the right balance of satisfaction in my work life and in my free time.

While I was pondering this, I decided to ask some of my friends what their thoughts on the whole lifestyle thing meant to them. The general consensus was that, on a personal level, you need enough money to live comfortably, be relatively intelligent, and have lots of friends.

Sounds good until you realize that the financial security, intelligence and popularity held in such high esteem were actually the product and not the foundation of a balanced lifestyle. Therefore, a balanced lifestyle is not something innate, but something that we achieve with effort and work. So if that’s supposed to be the criteria for having a full life in general, what do we need to feel whole and content in the workplace?

Back to our friend Homer Simpson then, and a conversation from an episode where his lovable boss, Mr. Burns, is giving Homer his job back…

Homer: Thanks for giving me my job back, Mr. Burns.

mr burns: I’m afraid it’s not that simple. As punishment for your desertion, it is company policy to give you the plague.

blacksmiths: Uh, sir, that’s the “plate”.

Mr Burns:: Oh yeah, the special demotivator plate to break what’s left of your spirit. Because you see, you are here… forever.

[Smithers screws the plaque to the wall]

Mr Burns: [reading] “Do not forget you’re here forever”.

From my own perspective, I want to feel motivated and inspired, appreciated, respected, and most importantly, safe. Surely, as long as these factors are incorporated into the foundation of my work environment, the path I follow on a daily basis must be one of fulfillment. Fortunately, my boss does not share the business ethics that Mr. Burns does. I don’t need a plaque on my wall to say I’m “Employee of the Month.” Fortunately, my boss has created what I believe to be essentially a well-balanced work environment in which to spend my time… lucky me!

So if you were to compare the balance of your well-being at work, would you be in Jo Dawson’s place of satisfaction or Homer Simpson’s workplace from hell?