International Women's Day 2022 - Partnerships Manager, Lucy Bramhall - That work-life balance

“We need to do a better job of putting ourselves higher on our own ‘to do’ list” - An extremely apt quote from Michelle Obama which popped up on my Instagram feed earlier this week and the perfect way to start an analysis of my, sometimes wavey, work-life balance. 

My first thought is that finding balance is definitely something easier said than done, particularly when you work in an industry which isn’t your typical nine to five.  Seven years ago, I was introduced to the world of football, and quickly learnt that it isn’t just a job. Football is a lifestyle, a hobby and a passion rolled into one and isn’t something you can leave in the office at the end of the day. In an industry without strict eight-hour boundaries set within Monday to Friday, it’s always been on me to monitor my downtime and days off. This isn’t something I’d claim to be good at but is something I’m working on. 

As a serious social media and email checking culprit, I’m forcing myself to take daily digital detoxed dinners and podcast fuelled dog walks. These times have become invaluable to me and help me reset, recharge, and refocus. 

But phone free zones and being yanked along a pavement by my four-legged friend are certainly not a fix all.  I’m the type of person who, without plans, will find herself straying back into the depths of the inbox, so booking in weekend plans with family and friends and trips away with my fiancé, are a must and the perfect escape from work for me.  I find these longer stints without the laptop are where I find my best ideas and I tend to come back more motivated and enthusiastic.

Positioning myself sometimes further down than I should my own ‘to do list’ could easily be interpreted as negative, but I feel so incredibly lucky to be in an industry and have a job that I love. 

Find out more about Lucy here