I have always strived for balance. Balance when I worked outside the home, balance now that I stay home, balance in my marriage, balance in being a mom, balance in my faith, balance in relationships, balance in hobbies and passions, and the list goes on and on. In my quest for balance I have often turned to the internet to read blogs from other women to see how they are achieving (or not achieving) this balance that I am desperately seeking.
During this perpetual search I came across the blog Modern Mrs. Darcy by Anne Bogel. (Love the tag line: a jane austen girl in a twitter world.) I was instantly intrigued by the creative blog name and tagline and delved right into reading post after post dealing with issues from marriage, motherhood, breastfeeding, good books, church, and even her son’s bout with cancer.
I was intrigued by her take on many issues and began to see that instead of balancing it all, she talked about blending it all. I was curious about this concept of blending and when I saw that she had a new ebook on the topic coming out, I jumped at the opportunity to review it. I was so curious about the benefits she mentioned of “blending” versus “balancing”.
I am so glad that I read “Work Shift.” It is a quick, fast paced read packed with practical solutions to the dilemmas so many of us face in trying to find a way to make work, family, and living our passions come together in the way that we desire and that makes sense.
The first half of the book is an excellent look at the historical journey our culture has taken as it relates to the dynamics of work and family. Anne’s writing is intriguing and much like her blog, this section of the book is fast paced and offers powerful insight into the changes our society has seen throughout history to where we are at today.
At first I was skeptical about this section, wanting to jump to the latter half of the book that contains the practicals of blending it all, however I am so glad I didn’t read ahead. The first half of the book helped me to really rethink how I viewed work and family life and why I thought that they needed to be so separate. This alone for me was worth the read.
However there is so much more to the book. The second half contains practical ways to make this blending work in various situations and scenarios. I really love how the author included so many different examples of different seasons and scenarios of life (single no kids, single with kids, married no kids, pregnant, already have children, even a scenario of a family with two kids with Autism.)
Different women are highlighted and share how they have gone about blending work and family. This ranges from women working from home, outside the home, part-time, working in their pre-baby field, working in a new field of interest for them, working non-traditional hours, all the while having time for the important matters in life. This section is extremely practical and I believe everyone will be able to glean insight to aid in moving towards blending family and work together.
I highly recommend this book! I believe that it is a compelling read in today’s fast paced society which pushes us to seek the impossibility of balance amongst the many demands on today’s families. The concept of blending was impactful to me and I believe it will be for you to.
I am excited Anne Bogel has graciously offered one copy of the ebook as a give away to a reader here! To enter the giveaway simply leave a comment on this post.
If you would like to purchase the book you can do so here.
The last day to enter for the giveaway is Monday October 1st and the winner will be announced Tuesday October 2nd. I will choose a winner by random number generator and contact them by email.
I was provided a copy of the ebook “Work Shift” in exchange for my review, however all opinions are 100% my own.
(This post contains my referral link. Read disclosure here.)
Oh.. balance is something I struggle with all the time too! I know it involves keeping my priorities right and being disciplined with my time.. But that’s easier said than done. Thank you for hosting a giveaway!
From my experience, I have seen how isolating it can be to be a mother. As we fostered and then adopted our children, my wife did not work outside our home. In a new town with no family nearby, it became very isolating for her. There were few other women around who could relate to her. Some would be stay-at-home moms, but not to special needs kids or foster kids. Others would be living in the town they grew up in, surrounded by a support system of friends and family, while she was in a strange place surrounded by strangers. Often we felt that there was no one to help us except each other. We even reached a point where we had to give up a foster child we had the opportunity to adopt simply because we were beyond our capacity to take care of him. I think a book that shares the trials, struggles, and successes of women in all kinds of different situations would be a great resource for women like my wife, who desperately need to connect to others and not feel so alone in the world.
Balance, what balance? I think of it as trying to control chaos!
Oh, this is the answer to a prayer. I’m trying to balance three kids and a career that is starting to take off, and I’m constantly trying to find ways to blend it all. What a timely book!