Moment With Betty

Coping with career demands, managing the home and observing the spiritual obligations can be a huge task and finding a balance in all of these is a different ball game. The question therefore is, what balance are we talking about, and how can we find this balance without conflict? And at the same time trying to impact society positively.  Complicated as it may sound, l dare to say that all it requires is believing in yourself, good planning, good prioritizing, proper delegation, and following through with the plan diligently so, that you can find a well-designed balance between your work, family and spiritual commitments.

 Taking care of the home and the family have always been attributed to be that of the woman. There is the belief that the first office of the woman is the home thus, every other assignment or activity is secondary.  However, in this 21^st century, the situation is different. Today’s women are upping their game in different spheres of life, be it as a full-time housewife, a career woman or even practicing as a pastor of a church.  We find women occupying top positions in most organizations and establishments as Managing Directors, Chief executive officers, Chairpersons of banks, media houses, and government establishments, and also managing their businesses and trying to find a balance in all of these with great impact.

  A few months ago, l had a chat with some career women for my program about how they can succeed in their careers, be good wives, be good mothers, and at the same create a great impact in their community. While responding both of them smiled and echoed together, that it’s all about having a positive mind and mapping out a workable strategy to help achieve your goal. With that kind of response, l connected with them because l had always been an advocate of work-life balance and l also believe in strategic planning in achieving positive results in life. So, my dear readers, there is no magic about becoming a woman of impact. The onus lies on you to find what works for you and believe in it with all you have got.

 First and foremost, you must be humble. No matter the qualification you may have acquired or the height or position you may have attained in life, humility should be your watchword.  Imbibe the virtue of humility and every other thing will flow easily.  Our character also matters and so also our perspective about things. Some women today do not have an opinion of their own. They swing like a pendulum to whatever those they feel are in a high position say.  They enjoy tagging along even when they are in doubt about the decisions taken. I am sorry to say that if you fall into this category of women then, you have a long way of becoming a woman of impact.

Becoming a woman of impact is a transformative journey that demands dedication, perseverance and a deep sense of purpose. You should have an optimistic attitude, be persistent, be self-confident, be authentic, be purposeful and exhibit good character. Once you process these attributes, then you are on the right path to becoming a woman of impact wherever you find yourself. Above all, you must make your life count not only for yourself but for the betterment of society as a whole.  Let your character be consistent both at the workplace, at home and in public. Avoid exhibiting duplicity of character as we find some women do from time to time. Be consistent in your word and deed and allow God to use you as an ordinary woman whom He created with talents, gifts, strength and kindness to touch the lives of many positively.  

Be an embodiment of care and success always. Care for yourself, constantly develop yourself (education), be resilient, and lead by example. Use your voice to advocate change, and offer to mentor others freely. Embodying these principles will help you take the right steps to create a positive impact. You will then become a beacon of inspiration for others and will leave a lasting legacy for generations to come.  Be mentally strong, considerate, sensitive, empathetic, generous, understanding, and forgiving.

To become a woman of impact, you will have to the extra mile to make the people around you happy, irrespective of who the persons are.

 To become a woman of impact, you need to plan your day, week, or even months ahead of time so that you don’t miss out on anything. Pay attention to little things. Prepare a timetable to help you run your home, business and other activities smoothly without conflicts. When prioritizing, you need to consider how this will translate into productivity, efficiency and delegate properly. Organize your tasks according to their importance. Start with the most important and urgent, then attend to the task that is important but not urgent then, you can attend to the task that needs to be done but is neither important nor urgent—all according to the well-being of your family. As a woman of impact, be aware of your thoughts and feelings and of how to process and convey your emotions to others and also understand the values and larger goals of the family.

Besides living an exemplary life at home, a woman of impact also needs to make an impact at her place of work or in her business, you must have a listening ear. Listen without interruption. Give your staff the chance to make suggestions at meetings, do not hush them down. Give them a voice. Act with integrity, do whatever you say that you will do. Stay focused on what matters, be relevant with your skills and engage with others also, don’t be a lone ranger. Create a strong culture within your organization and inspire your team to achieve great things

 Always develop yourself and be resourceful. Never complain about how difficult your work is rather, be positive and work harder to ensure that you achieve your goal. Pay attention to what your workers are doing both at your workplace /home and speak up when you need to.

In conclusion, make time for prayer for the family and ensure that every member of the family takes turns to lead the family prayer. Create time for family get-togethers, it could be once a month, three months, etc. but let the time be worth looking forward to by everyone and please make your home bright and cheerful always.

 Plan holidays with the family. It could be abroad if the family can afford it but if not, there are many good places in Nigeria that the family can go for a holiday. The most important thing is creating the time for the family to bond and ask each other some pertinent questions that will help to fortify the family. Carry the family along in very important decisions and create a good family culture and core values that will help form/mold the children in the right direction. 

Just as you plan holidays for the family, organize retreats for the staff as this will help them to take stock and evaluate their performances, and re-energize themselves for the work ahead.  Finally, be compassionate toward the challenges of your children, domestic staff and employees. Challenge, is not a curse, it is a phase in one’s life. Do not be judgmental but supportive.