I’ve been in the corporate world long enough to know this: work-life balance is one of those phrases we keep chasing, but never quite catch. Everyone talks about it. Every company claims to support it. But what does it even mean? And does it really exist, or is it just a beautifully packaged myth we tell ourselves, so we don’t burn out completely?
Because if we’re being honest, the struggle is real, especially for women.
I often wonder if men feel this constant pressure the way women do. Because from where I stand, they go to work, they work hard, they go home, and they rest. Full stop.
But for many women, including yours truly, work doesn’t end when the office lights go off. We switch roles the moment we step through the door: from manager to mother, from colleague to caregiver, from problem-solver to peacekeeper. The mental load never really stops. Even when we’re sitting still, our minds are running through grocery lists, school events, and unanswered emails.
Maybe that’s why women often feel like they’re carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders. Because in many ways… we are.
What is work-life balance, really? Is it about working less? About spending equal hours at home and at work? About having “me time” scheduled between back-to-back meetings and bedtime stories?
We’re told that without balance, our mental health suffers. But then again, we’re also told that if we don’t work hard enough, we’re not ambitious enough. If we relax too much, we’re not serious enough. If we push too hard, we neglect ourselves.
So, which is it? Where is this magical middle ground we keep hearing about? And if we can’t find it, does that mean we’ve failed… as professionals, as parents, as people?
The reality is…
Working in the public transport industry adds another layer to this tug-of-war. Our work doesn’t stop at 5. Trains don’t stop running. Buses don’t stop moving. And communication certainly doesn’t stop because it’s the weekend or a public holiday.
The nature of the job means you’re always “on,” always anticipating, always ready for the unexpected. Work-life balance in this line of work sometimes feels like a luxury we can’t afford. And yet, we still try. Because what’s the alternative? To surrender completely to work and lose ourselves?
The more I think about it, the more I wonder if work-life balance is the wrong goal. Maybe life isn’t meant to be neatly divided into two halves. Maybe it’s about flow? About knowing when to give more to work, and when to pull back for life. Maybe it’s about accepting that some days the scales will tip heavily to one side, and that doesn’t mean we’re failing.
Because balance isn’t always about equal weight. It’s about learning how to carry what matters most.
Hey, I don’t have all the answers. I’m still trying to figure it out myself. Some days, I feel like I’m doing okay… holding it together at work and showing up for my family. Other days, I feel like I’m failing both.
But maybe that’s what being a woman in the corporate world really is, a constant recalibration. Corporate jargon much? LOL!
A daily negotiation between ambition and rest, between responsibility and joy.
And maybe, just maybe, work-life balance isn’t a destination we reach.
It’s a rhythm we learn to dance to, even if we stumble along the way.
Written by A. Balancing duty in public service and care at home, she writes from the heart of both worlds.