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Balancing work life not a priority


How does one balance a work life when one works six days a week? One of my colleagues had sent me a link to watch a motivational speech by Nigel Marsh on ‘how to balance work life.’ I must say Nigel did motivate me to a certain extent but as soon as the speech ended, I was back to reality. The sad part is I had it pretty balanced when I was not working on Sundays.  

Nigel has a lot to say about balancing one’s work life. He says ‘it is the simple things that matter.’ For example taking your kid to a pizza place or just hanging out in the park and play ball (sorry Nigel but we do not do parks in Nepal). It is true, small things do make a difference. When I get home six days a week after work battling the monstrous traffic and the blanketing dust the only thing that I manage to do is smile at my little daughter and hug her. But on a Saturday, I and my husband we make sure we take our three year old somewhere she enjoys even if it is just for an hour. She loves the whole process of going out. Therefore, Nigel, you are right ‘it is the simple things that matter.’ 

My work and life was indeed balanced when I just worked five days a week. I had the Saturdays planned out, was more relaxed and took care of all household chores. Most importantly, I was relaxed because if I could not do everything on a Saturday I still had the Sunday left. I had the whole day left to finish my unfinished tasks. Just the thought of having one more day off after a Saturday calmed me. I did not need to do simple things I could do bigger things too. 

I realized the importance of a Sunday off after I gave up the Sundays eight months back. It still haunts me. My colleagues think I make a big deal but how do they know the importance of a Sunday off when they have never had a Sunday off. I did not need a motivational speech by Nigel Marsh – at least not then. 

Now I do and now I want our lawmakers to see that particular speech by Nigel. Although Nigel does not say work life balance has a lot to do with a Sunday off it is understood because almost all the countries in the world work five days a week only - even China and India who are predicted to lead the world economy by 2030. 

The provocative question is what is the priority for Nepal? Almost every other day one or two districts in Nepal are closed due to a road accident or a political unrest. If one counts the total number of bandh days in Nepal in 2012 due to various reasons (mostly attributed to martyr days), our image is tarnishing. The unaccounted bandhs not only hinders our nation’s economic growth, it puts a lot of stress to those employees who have to report to work if they do not want their companies to minus their annual holidays. Balancing work life is not a priority any more; nobody wants to wash their hands off their hard-earned annual leaves. The carelessness and the ignorance to work towards economic growth seriously have not occurred to any leaders of any political parties. 

Working six days a week may not burden the government employees because most of them hardly ever work full time. I read a news piece in one of the national dailies reporting on the vacant public service centre in Burtibang VDC in Baglung District since two weeks. The officers abandoned their post as soon as the Prime Minister Bhattarai inaugurated the centre. Last month when the debate to make Sunday an official holiday was ongoing, the service sectors strongly rejected the idea as they were concerned the poor would be deprived from the government services. It is disturbing and purely intentional by these unprofessional government officers to collect their salaries but refuse to work for it. These screwed officers would not need to worry about work life balance. As Nigel said, “it is pretty easy to balance work life when I didn’t work.” 

Balancing work life seems like a distant dream for me now. If only our government prioritized to balance working days and monitor the government service providers’ attendance not just in the rural areas but also in the capital; working five days a week would be much more efficient and practical. If only the government monitored this aspect of the service providers’ working modality, I sure would have a driving license by now. It is ironic because I do have a driving license the US Government provided to me in two hour back in 2003 without having to call any influential personnel. 

Phew! Government employees can get away with not reporting to work. Hence, the issue to declare Sunday a holiday may never be a priority. But what are the poor souls who work for a private company supposed to do? Nigel Marsh do you have another motivational speech?

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