Session description: Professional life and family life are two different sides of an individual. Therefore, it is not possible to see these two aspects as two water-tight compartments. Only machines can compartmentalise tasks and perform the tasks mechanically. Let us ask these questions to ourselves first to get clarity on this topic of discussion – Is it possible to just delete all your personal emotions, and unbind and undo your relationships with your family members when you are at your work place? Is it completely possible to obliterate all your responsibilities that your boss has assigned to you when you are at home relaxing on your sofa or watching TV? Answers to these questions are – A BIG ‘NO’ ‘NO’. The pressures and pleasures of these two binary zones – professional life and personal life – leak and interact with each other constantly in every possible way – consciously, unconsciously and sub-consciously. They constantly defer and differ each other. Their absences and presences flicker in our minds infinitely. It is unstoppable. It is unavoidable. There is no escape. Therefore, ‘departmentalising’ or ‘compartmentalising’ these two zones is irrationality. For instance, a simple appreciation you get at your work place can make you return home happily and resume your home chores peacefully. Similarly, a hot debate in an official meeting can put your mood off and when you return home, you may end up showing your frustrations on your family members. This is normal and human. So, forcing yourself to strictly divide these two binary zones and perform two binary roles would further complicate your lifestyle. Your life, then, would look stunted, blunt, artificial and more machine-like. We would find ourselves falling apart into dissatisfied fragments. We would see ourselves as ‘missing pieces’ or ‘broken pieces’ hollowing from home to work place and vice-versa. The solution is very simple. We should let our professional life and personal life embrace and compliment each other. For instance, stopping for a while in the middle of a tight, busy schedule to have a loving and caring conversation with your near and dear ones would boost up your energy level beyond doubts. At the same time, your dear ones would also feel cared and loved. Even a few simple caring words – “Hi, Dad! How are you? …Will get back to you soon.” Or “Hi, dear. I really miss you. …And sorry for …” – can make you get back to work confidently and comfortably. You just need to push yourself to find those few minutes amidst your busy schedule. That is the winning edge. It is little challenging, but not impossible. A few minutes and a few caring words can do miracles in your professional and as well as, personal lives. When you do so, you will have a feeling that you have not missed out anything, and you will feel ‘whole’ and ‘complete’. Similarly, on week ends or holidays or anytime when you are at home, reflecting on your projects, discussing your plans for official meetings, setting meeting agendas, etc. as you do your home chores can compliment your professional life too. For instance, if you are to meet an important client on the coming Monday, it is impossible to chain your brain and stop it from reflecting on your forthcoming meeting. So, as you relax or do your home chores, let your mind comfortably ponder and mentally plan for your forthcoming meeting. Thus, letting your professional and personal lives interact and compliment each other without turbulent and noisy interferences would strike a harmonious balance. So, take meaningful short breaks – both at home as well as at work place – to accolade, instead of juxtaposing, both the binary zones of your life.

Bio: Dr. V.Vidya is an articulate qualified English teacher who is able to effectively communicate with students from diverse backgrounds or varying degrees of abilities in English, Hindi, Tamil and Marathi. Vidya is a committed and dedicated professional with a proven ability to teach, motivate and direct students towards optimum performance by inducing positive and energetic environment. She is conversant with the English National Curriculum at school and college levels and experienced in employing ICT in the classroom to impart delightful and comprehensible learning experiences by creating conducive environment. Her areas of expertise are lesson planning, grammar teaching, team work, time management, people management, public speaking counselling. Her greatest strengths are her abilities to understand and meet the individual needs of students. She has a clear understanding of the importance of confidentiality and the ability to provide a stimulating, caring and consistent environment for them. She is a recipient of Intellectual to The Year 2020 Award, conferred by Rifacimento International.