Sunday 15 June 2014

Blog Every Day in June Day 15 : Work / Life Balance

It is a strong misconception that Librarians must have very peaceful lives, filled with reading books and helping people find an interesting book to read, but with the constant threat / reality of budget cuts we are all being asked to do more with less. What happened to this positive work-life balance that I was suppose to be gaining by working as a Librarian?

Lately, I have been scrutinising my life because, despite the misconception, Librarians are extremely busy people with many demands on our time. I work in a theological library; I am the only Librarian working full-time with 3 permanent part-time technicians and 2 casual shelvers.

It gets pretty hectic being the only Librarian, I wear many hats; I am a cataloguer, an information services librarian, a liaison librarian, the library manager, occasionally a shelver and many other things. As many of you can attest to, there are many and varied roles on any given day. So, how to combat this so called imbalance?

My top five tips:

1. If you are struggling to find some down time, schedule it in. A little relaxation goes along way. I try to have a bubble bath once a week, I treat myself to some beautiful smelling bubble baths and soak away with a bit of music playing or with a book.

2. Get outside; take a stroll, living in Sydney we have been blessed with a beautiful harbour or if you are after something a little slower paced, there are some pretty parks situated around the suburbs.

3. Prioritise your health. Taking care of yourself is ultimately the best way to achieve that balance. If you are happy and healthy you will have more energy and enthusiasm to devote to those around you.

4. Be assertive and say no to (or minimise) activities that are not enhancing your professional or personal life.

5. Lastly, Be positive in your attitude to life and where you work because despite the busyness of being a Librarian, we work in the best profession of all.

- Gabby @gabriellefury

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