Family versus Work. What should you choose? #askpreeti

Little things that go a long way On making adult choices

Family versus Work. What should you choose? #askpreeti

Remember I had mentioned about #Askpreeti series? Well, it starts off today! Every Thursday, I shall blog my answer to a question, which you have asked. You can ask me questions with #askpreeti tag either on my FB page or tweet to me using #askpreeti

Today's question that I picked, asked by reader Dixita Mour.

Question asked : Should we choose between our passion or family? You are very successful in managing both--family and work. What should one do?

Family is the basic unit from which we start our life. What we learn from our families, helps us deal with different social situations. In a way, it is the family that is providing us the 'blue-print' to our personality. We then grow up, get a job and start our own families.

There can never be a perfect work-life balance. At any given point of time, you will always be tugged by both. For me too, it is the same.
When my children were much younger, I chose to give up my corporate career as I wanted to be around for them. Now they are much older and hence independent. I had no doubt in my mind that it was the path I wanted to take. But if you ask me whether it was easy, I would say it most definitely wasn't. Back then, when I made that choice, I gave up my economic independence for a while There was no guarantee that I would meet with success. However I was fortunate that things turned out well.

When you make a choice, you have to ask yourself these questions.
1. How important is it for you to earn well?
2.How many hours of work do you have to put in to sustain your current/desired lifestyle?
3.Are you the primary bread-winner of your family?
4.How important is it for you to be able to spend time with your family?

Once you answer the above questions, you will have a clear choice to make.

As for me, if you were to ask me whether I choose my passion or my family, I would definitely say family. But if this very family is going to hinder and stand in the way of my passion (where I am very fortunate to have a supportive family) then I am clearly going to be unhappy. In that case, I would take a call and choose that which gives me more contentment. Only if we are happy can we make our loved ones happy.
We owe it to ourselves to take care of our own needs first. Only then can you give your hundred percent to your family as well as your passion. And if your career is your passion, it is a jackpot!

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