The Fem 2.0 Blog Carnival: Shifting the Public Narrative

A Work/Life Balancing Act—We Need More Net!

A blog carnival! Get onboard for another not-so-thrilling ride on the merry-go-round of “shifting the public narrative”, a/k/a “bringing more attention,” to how we (women) need to have help in balancing work and life! I, for one, am tired of going round and round and round, and up and down, while really staying in one place for nearly 50 years. How much more talk does this really need?

First, the notion that work and life are separate is insane. We spend nearly 40% of our waking hours going to, coming from or being at our work. Work is part of our lives, not separate from. Therefore, making the workplace a fair and just place for all workers is essential to any discussion on this topic.

Next, the existing paradigm that has only women solving this problem should be shelved immediately. Point of service, local solutions are needed as the challenges will not be solved by more non-enforceable government regulations, labyrinthine legal machinations, or writer’s creations.

Women work because they need to work, whether it’s for self-fulfillment or economic imperative. As such, it falls on women to make arrangements for their lives and the lives of their families (if they choose to have them). Work is an important, necessary and healthy part of everyone’s life. People who are engaged in meaningful work generally live longer, happier and healthier lives. Separating work from life is impossible because work is so much a part of life.

Obviously, there are many types of meaningful work. If working in the home and taking care of the business of running a family is what you want (and are able) to do, great! It is meaningful work. And this work is hard and it needs to be both appreciated and compensated as with any job. The key here is recognizing that this work needs to be given real value in real dollars and cents. (Something you can “net.”)

If working in a job or career outside of the home is what you want or need to do, then whatever is left behind in the home (the other part of your life) must be the responsibility of all interested parties. If there is only one interested party, that is you alone, it is your own responsibility to build the balance of work and life that suits your needs, keeps you healthy and happy. Lots of happy, healthy and productive people are good for society.

And if there are only two interested parties, that is, you and a partner, then both of you share the responsibility to make home and hearth a place that meets your needs as a unit.

And if the family unit includes children (including the ever more frequent single parent households or blended families), everyone shares the responsibility to make it work—even the children as they grow and become more responsible. This situation is where work/life balance gets the most attention in the public narrative. And the attention comes primarily from the women. For me, this is really a problem. And it is the reason the problem is not going to get solved.

I would be very surprised if there were more than one or two male bloggers out there this week, tapping away at their keyboards, trying to find ways to help (women) cope with work/life balance when children are involved. Yes, there are a few single dads and a handful of men of good conscience, but somehow they don’t seem to have as much trouble with this issue. Or do they hide it well (or just don’t talk about it as much).

So what’s my take on work/life issues? Let’s shift the “public narrative” to where it really belongs. A cornerstone of this platform is “Pay women fairly, equal to what is paid to men.” No more 77 cents on a dollar. We need more net! That is net take home pay. Kill two birds with one stone. Obey the law and stimulate the economy! Then we can afford quality day care for our children while we create a few jobs for Obama. We can hire household help for some of the chores. We can buy healthier foods and have some time to cook at home so our kids will develop healthier eating habits and not need to manipulate people into making healthier choices because they have been imprinted to eat healthier from the start. And maybe we can save a little for our children, our future.

So, you see, the work life balance narrative is really about money. It might not be as difficult as some of you thought. Not that money solves everything, but it sure goes a long way in relieving the stresses, rewarding the successes, and refocusing the discussion on an issue that is immediately actionable and measurable. We need more net!