32: Improving Your Work-Life Balance by Escaping the 'Rat Race': Work, Life, Balance Lesson #7

Does escaping the rat race improve work-life balance? What does it take to make this work-life balance choice work? Does it afford a person a less stressful lifestyle overall? And why don’t more people go for it? This is the episode for you if... ⭐️ You’re finding the pace of city living stressful, overwhelming and lacking purpose ⭐️ You’ve always wondered what it would be like to move away from the city and base yourself somewhere closer to places of natural beauty ⭐️You’re generally interested in learning from how other people find a balance between work and everything else in life With days drawing dark earlier, and an autumnal chill in the air, the summer holidays already feel like a distant memory. But I'm holding on to some of the benefits that I felt from taking a break from my usual work and home routine to go on a family holiday, and to think about work-life balance from a different perspective. In this episode, I reflect on the lessons I learned about: What motivates some people to leave the hustle and bustle of the big city and relocate to somewhere quieter and picturesque. How making this work-life balance choice can impact on a person's sense of balance overall. Whether this is the best way of finding balance if you feel overwhelmed by the pace and competition of corporate, city living. The episode includes four short stories of people that I encoutered who had made (and raved about!) this work-life balance choice. I then reflect on the Work, Life, Balance Lessons they taught me, considering these lessons through the prism of three key pillars I’ve concluded are essential to achieving a personal balance: individuality, fluidity, and intentionality For me, this Work, Life, Balance Lesson emphasises the importance of recognising the value of things in life that bring you joy, and the benefits of making time for them - making them a priority. That doesn’t always feel manageable when you’re busy chasing city dreams and deadlines. But, I've learned, it is possible. And it is worth it. For more, go to www.a-fine-balance.com/podcast.