Last week, I was speaking with one of my interns. She is a senior university student who has had several diverse jobs and internships over the last couple of years. She has seen a variety of careers and jobs and lifestyles in this short time period. She was reflecting on all of this, wondering out loud about options for life and career – actually thinking about where she wanted to go and what kind of life she wanted to have.
A few days later, I had lunch with a girlfriend. She is in the unique and enviable position of having seven months of free time, in between one job posting and the next. She is using the time do things that she has always wanted to do – learning to oil paint and knit.
These incidents got me thinking about life and balance – and exactly what success is.
For many years, I was a busy humanitarian worker in a protracted emergency situation in Sub-Saharan Africa. I was completely engaged in work, addicted to the rush of responding to one emergency after another, helping vulnerable people avert disasters and improve their lives. I had a lot of very necessary domestic help to help me juggle my young children and my long hard hours.
Five years later, in a different country, I am still surrounded by urgent humanitarian crises and emergencies. This time, however, things are different. I work for myself. I make my own schedule. I spend a lot of time with my two daughters. I have designated personal time (unrelated to work or children). My schedule (and life) is more thoughtful and balanced. And, like my lunch date, I am making time to knock things off my bucket list.
Having a successful career is important. But living is vital. Make sure you don’t have regrets. Life is short – carpe diem!
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