Daily writing prompt

How do you balance work and home life?

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I guess I can feel lucky that up until six months ago, I didn’t have one of those jobs that spills over into my personal life. That’s not to say I’ve never gotten caught up in work stress. I’m not so unfeeling that I can just shut my feelings off like a light switch when I walk out the door of my job, but the actual workload was not something I could bring home.

I worked as a nurse for twenty-four years so yeah, you cannot bring your patients/clients/residents home with you and continue your work. In that respect, definitely a bonus to the job. But I have needed to unload onto to my partner, some of the stressors the day brought. And then it’s over and done with.

The job I’m doing currently, a college Instructor, I am able to physically bring my work home and I absolutely love it. All you people who complained about “working from home” during the pandemic, go do a twelve hour shift in long term care facility where you’re on your feet the majority of twelve hours, wearing a paper/plastic gown, a face visor and goggles over top of your glasses. Go be cheerful and upbeat to these elderly people who were already plagues with loneliness even before visiting restrictions came into play. Concentrate on your every move so that you don’t get any of the six thousand medications you give in a day, mixed up. Go home in the evening, exhausted, but save enough energy for your family, pray to god you get a good night’s sleep cause that alarm is going off at five am and you’re doing it all over again.

Wow, I sound kind of bitter. Let me change the tone here by saying currently, I love my job. It’s the best job I’ve ever had and most days I do bring my work home, there are usually emails to and from students that don’t stop, lesson plans to prepare, etc. I feel passionate about it. It’s like a hobby and a career all rolled into one. It’s not so all consuming that my family is neglected. I can be on my laptop and still be in the backyard with my son watching him play in the sandbox. I am so very grateful for this job and this home.