Managing career and daily life can be a balancing act
In the recent OWL webinars, members shared personal experiences on balancing careers with the rest of their lives.
Adapting to different situations may be the best way to balance a career along with life’s demands, OWL President Pamela Gleeson said during the “Balancing Career and Family” webinar recently held by OWL.
Life’s demands change over time, so the key is to stay adaptable and be confident in making choices depending on what is deemed important.
“To achieve anything close to balance, you really need to be introspective and think deeply about what fulfills you and what energizes you,” Ms. Gleeson, also the CFO of Santen Inc., said. “Once you have that foundation, decisions and priorities among the many aspects of your life come into clearer focus.”
Making choices
Having to choose between careers and personal commitments can be stressful, but achieving balance is generally feeling confident in the decisions being made.
Going along in the balance of life, it is essential to take care of oneself. Make time for the activities and accomplishments that are physically and spiritually nourishing.
“I think it’s important to step back and really access what fulfills you, and what brings satisfaction to you in life,” Ms. Gleeson said. “And it does take a fair bit of introspection, in those quiet moments you can steal for yourself.”
One of the biggest challenges in life is remembering not to sweat the small stuff, and keeping the big picture in mind as a guiding force, she said.
It is also important to learn how to say no gracefully and with confidence, Ms. Gleeson said.
“We tend to overcommit and learning to say no confidently and gracefully can be a bit of a challenge,” she said. “But what I have found personally is that if I set expectations and I follow through on my commitments, people understand what they can expect and really understand how I prioritize things. But I can’t be all things to all people.”
Managing priorities
Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. No one is capable of doing everything by themselves, so be open to outsourcing whenever possible.
“A tough one for me was asking for help. I am continually amazed at how willing people are to help you once you get the courage to ask for it,” Ms. Gleeson said. “Creating that network of friends and family, and your husband and colleagues is a good way of setting up a support system.”
Another key point is seeking out role models for guidance toward balance.
“An important thing I think in life is to seek out role models and people that appear to be in balance and not as stressed by all of the craziness in life,” Ms. Gleeson said. “Find out what their approach is and [if] that is something you could do yourself, as well successfully.”
It is also important to periodically check back in on whether or not priorities are being handled successfully.
“I think it’s important as you go through and try to prioritize, and figure out ‘what can I do?’ and check back in with those because things do change over time,” Ms. Gleeson said. “Learning from how you approach things, and what has worked for you and what has not; I think periodically doing that review is really helpful as well.”
Time to give back
Most of us have no time to squeeze in volunteer or charity work, but every little bit counts. There are many ways of giving back to the eye care community, but one major way is through eye mission work. During the recent “Giving Back: Eye Mission Work” webinar, several groups were named as starting points for getting involved.
“Mission fields are available to us all to give back. Everyone has a talent to give and sometimes you find a talent you didn't know you had when you give,” said Polly Neely, OWL Events Co-Chair.
Ms. Neely suggested the Medical Ministry International and The World Cataract Foundation.
The Medical Ministry International offers medical care for the world’s poor with lasting solutions through excellence in medicine, patient care and health education. This is done by mobilizing volunteers on 1- and 2-week medical projects and by establishing and equipping permanent medical centers.
The World Cataract Foundation aims to eliminate cataract blindness especially in developing parts of the world through surgery, training and equipping.
Diana Hatsis, RN, BSN, COT, Senior Clinical Research Associate for Chiltern, recommended Surgical Eye Expeditions International, which is a nonprofit humanitarian organization that provides medical, surgical and educational services by volunteer ophthalmic surgeons with the primary objective of restoring sight to disadvantaged blind individuals worldwide.
“We can give so much to those with so little and it only takes a small amount of motivation, teamwork and caring. Don't be afraid to volunteer,” Ms. Hatsis said.
Patricia Morris, MBA, COE, recommended the Lighthouse for Christ Mission, which is a non-denominational charity eye center and mission dedicated to providing physical eyesight and spiritual awareness to Kenyans.
“You don’t have to go far to support a mission,” Ms. Morris said.
Upcoming webinars
The next OWL webinar will be “Personal Public Relations 101” on July 22 at 3 p.m. EST/12 noon PST. Georgette Pascale, chair of the OWL Public Relations Committee, will offer tips on why you have to be your biggest fan and how to collect “fans” using social media tools, industry outreach and networking opportunities. The “Managing Change” webinar with Heather Ready, chair of the OWL Mentoring Program Committee, will follow on August 26 at 3 p.m. EST/12 noon PST.
All webinars are free to OWL members. Register online at owlsite.org or contact Molly Schar at mschar@owlsite.org for more information.
— by Leanor Pigliacelli, Production Associate, Ocular Surgery News