OM DENNE EPISODE
Over the course of a year that’s seen arguable the largest change in workforce habits the world has ever seen, one thing has evolved alongside the shift to working from home, hybrid spaces, and more – the chase for the elusive work-life balance.
On the first episode of Breaking Glass, hosted by Compass Data Centers’ Nancy Novak and brought to you by Compass and Infrastructure Masons, Novak sourced insights from Sandra Benson, Amazon Web Services Worldwide Head of Engineering, Construction and Real Estate to dive into the topic.
“If you had asked me [about my idea of work-life balance] 20 years ago, I’d probably have a different answer than I do now,” Benson said. “For me, at this point in my career, I try to check in with myself on a Friday afternoon. ‘OK, how do I feel? Do I feel like I gave myself any personal time, or was I just on calls all the time?’”
Benson said she does the same on Sunday evenings, working to map out a path toward striking a better balance. She also sung the praises of starting your day with mindfulness, even if it’s simply five minutes of meditation to center yourself before you go about your day.
Novak and Benson also explored the difficulties women, particularly in the technology industry, can face in achieving balance – challenges that are largely brought about by inequity and the fast-paced nature of the industry, as a whole.
Trusting your colleagues and teams can help everyone achieve a better work-life balance, as specific expertise and skills can help form a well-rounded, collective knowledge base and set of tools that keeps everyone from having to study up on every little detail.
