• Question: do you spend much time with family or are you always working

    Asked by okra532gran65 on 21 Jan 2026.
    • Photo: Lorelei Robertson

      Lorelei Robertson answered on 21 Jan 2026:

      My Family (Parents and Brother) Live a few hours away from me so I don’t see them regularly, but I see my partner that I live with everyday and I see my friends (who I also consider my family!) multiple times a week.
      I’m lucky in that I was taught and given permission very early on in my career to have a healthy work life balance, I work the hours I’m scheduled for ( and I work very hard during those hours) but once 5 o’clock comes around I’m out of the building and forget about work.
      I do occasionally work more than I need to, but that’s more because I’ve decided I want to work more because I’m excited about the work I’m doing, rather than because I have to to be able to get all my work done

    • Photo: Eliza Karlowska

      Eliza Karlowska answered on 21 Jan 2026:

      My family lives in a different country so I don’t get to see them as much but I have a healthy work-life balance. I do a lot of sports in the evenings and hang out with my friends over the weekend. I am really fortunate that my job is very understanding and flexible. Some days I work more, some days less.

    • Photo: Christina Higgins

      Christina Higgins answered on 21 Jan 2026:

      I spend a lot of time with my family. Luckily I work from home quite a lot and I can see them during the day. I am also quite strict about my boundaries with work – sometimes I might work overtime if I have an important deadline, but mostly I work normal hours and keep my weekends free. Bosses can sometimes try to push you to work longer hours, but remember you can always push back.

    • Photo: Daisy Pickup

      Daisy Pickup answered on 22 Jan 2026:

      I typically work a normal 9-5 so I see my partner (who I live with) every day and have evenings to hang out with him and see friends too. I’m also able to visit family on the weekend and take holiday to see family and friends who live a bit further away. Occasionally I go on fieldwork (once every 1-2 years) which means I may not see friends or family for a couple of months – but it’s a good compromise because I find fieldwork really fun!

    • Photo: Amy Moram

      Amy Moram answered on 22 Jan 2026:

      I have 3 children that i manage to spend lots of time with, i have a flexible job that means i can go to school events and manage school run times as needed too. I get to see other family at weekends and i’m always out for a run or walk with friends.

    • Photo: Scott Griffiths

      Scott Griffiths answered on 23 Jan 2026:

      Where I work we really promote a work life balance where we work to live, not the other way round. Due to this, I spend a lot of time with my family and even though my job can be demanding at times, I still find that my family always comes first, which is really important to me.

    • Photo: Stefani Duncan

      Stefani Duncan answered on 9 Feb 2026:

      I spend a lot of time with my family, as I live around the corner from them. My work allows flexible working, so I work 8-5 Monday – Thursday and finish a bit earlier on a Friday. It helps me to see my friends and family!

Comments

  • Photo: Nazia

    Nazia commented on :

    I work for the civil service as a plant and seeds inspector and there is a really good work life balance. I am either out on visits at places like garden centres or farms or, if I am not visiting clients, I can work in our office or from home. Today I have visited a farm this morning and I am now working in the kitchen with my dog by my feet 🙂 I see lots more of my family and friends now than when I was in my previous career (as a teacher.). I have lots of time for hobbies and relaxing too.