Choices, choices

Life is what you choose to make it, so I am told.  It is all about the choices you make.  Last month, I chose more time with my family over time at work.

Last October, I joined Dell Services in a Product Owner/Product Manager role.  It was a good move for my career and for me personally.  I had been with Navarik for a long time and was looking for a change in scenery.   The job at Dell was challenging and learning so much new stuff was quite fun.  I enjoyed getting to know the other team members and finding my place in the mix.  As with any new thing, it was also stressful.  I put a lot of pressure on myself to deliver high quality work, which is good, but it didn't help with the stress level.  After a few weeks, I found a good groove and felt  comfortable in my new environment.

The main downside, though, was the 5-days-a-week work schedule and the very corporate American leave policy at Dell.  I was on a 4-days-a-week schedule at Navarik and I felt I was ready to go back to full-time.  And I was okay with it for a few months but after we returned from our Caribbean vacation, where I spent so much time with Sophia, I just knew I was missing out on too much.

The planets aligned and it turned out that Navarik wanted me back.  I thought long and hard about it and finally decided to take up Navarik on their offer.  It's not the best move for my career and it certainly won't look so good on my resume, but the flexibility that Navarik offers is the ideal set up for me and my family at this point in time.  I can retain a senior position, do work that I enjoy and am good at, and keep my skills relevant while working 30 hours a week spread over four days.  I also have one day of working from home per week.  And I get an Apple product as a gift, once in a while!

Striking a balance between work and family is really like the holy grail for a lot of families.  Can moms really have it all?  I guess it all depends on what your definition of "all" is and how you define success for yourself.  I feel I have found is a fair balance for me and my family.  And for now, that's good enough.