8 answers
Jasmin
Student
Arlington, Massachusetts
1
Question
Updated
382 views
How did you balance a social life along with a career and what sacrifices did you have to make?
I took a gap year hoping to figure things out but feel as though I am still conflicted. #Spring25?
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8 answers
Juanita Brown
Vendor operations specialist
27
Answers
Apopka, Florida
Updated
Juanita’s Answer
Take time for your social life to avoid burn out and fatigue! Always look to learn more so take advantage of courses offered for higher learning but take time to come back with fresh eyes and a fresh mind!
Ce Ji
55
Answers
Orlando, Florida
Updated
Ce’s Answer
Hi Jasmin, Feeling confused is a part of growing that everyone goes through, and it's normal to feel like blaming yourself. Taking a year to rest is a brave way to invest in yourself. Those mixed feelings might be your way of finding a more balanced life. I've been through something similar, and I realized that balance isn't about perfectly dividing time. It's more like breathing—when you're focused on work, you need moments to recharge, and social life is like a relaxing breath out that refreshes your spirit.
That was honestly very reassuring. Thank you for taking the time out of your day to respond
Jasmin
Bailey Dunlap
Solutions Consultant
2
Answers
Dallas, Texas
Updated
Bailey’s Answer
This is so important at ANY point in your career journey, so I think it's great that you're prioritizing this from the start. For me, I reached a point where I realized choosing my career thoughtfully meant thinking about what I wanted for my social/personal life as well. I focused on which roles/industries enabled me to maintain balance with my social life and volunteering, and my career actually started to make me more passionate about engaging in hobbies and volunteering that I enjoy.
Donna Hull
Engineer
90
Answers
Columbia
Updated
Donna’s Answer
Welcome to Adulting!
You are going to feel conflicted about many things as you move forward in life. Finding balance in life is truly a personal journey.
I myself have a dedication to my career and over the years, many sacrifices were made for family, social, and even at times my own health and wellbeing. Now at 60, I am well established in my career and have quite a bit of flexibility based on my past performance and dedication to company. (of course that also hinges on my current manager too). Yet the pay and clout have come at health sacrifices which now I am paying amends for.
The good news is, your generation values that balance between work and social. Many companies encourage more time off and social interactions.
I do advise you, if college is your ultimate goal, do it now while you are young and studying, homework, and research papers are fresh in your mind. Again I went into the military and secured an engineer position based on my experience. 10 years in the company said, you have to get a college degree within two years or be terminated. So as a Single Parent with two children and a full time job, I was going to college. My sleep was definitely the sacrifice during this time in my life.
My best advice is don't freeze, move forward, if the steps have to be small because your are still conflicted about majors. Take the basic college classses which transfer to any field of study. English, Math, History. Maybe you only take 1/2 a case load for the semester and work a job or find an internship at a company you may want to have a future career with. Just keep moving! Make decisions, Re-evaluate and gain more balance.
You are going to feel conflicted about many things as you move forward in life. Finding balance in life is truly a personal journey.
I myself have a dedication to my career and over the years, many sacrifices were made for family, social, and even at times my own health and wellbeing. Now at 60, I am well established in my career and have quite a bit of flexibility based on my past performance and dedication to company. (of course that also hinges on my current manager too). Yet the pay and clout have come at health sacrifices which now I am paying amends for.
The good news is, your generation values that balance between work and social. Many companies encourage more time off and social interactions.
I do advise you, if college is your ultimate goal, do it now while you are young and studying, homework, and research papers are fresh in your mind. Again I went into the military and secured an engineer position based on my experience. 10 years in the company said, you have to get a college degree within two years or be terminated. So as a Single Parent with two children and a full time job, I was going to college. My sleep was definitely the sacrifice during this time in my life.
My best advice is don't freeze, move forward, if the steps have to be small because your are still conflicted about majors. Take the basic college classses which transfer to any field of study. English, Math, History. Maybe you only take 1/2 a case load for the semester and work a job or find an internship at a company you may want to have a future career with. Just keep moving! Make decisions, Re-evaluate and gain more balance.
This was honestly super helpful. I really appreciate it. Thank you for the support!
Jasmin
Brianna Tillman, MBA
Program Coordinator
4
Answers
Houston, Texas
Updated
Brianna’s Answer
I balance my social life and work by organizing my priorities. You need a balance of both, or you will struggle. Get involved in organizations you care about which can give you a social outlet. Learn how to prioritize your time by ranking your priorities for the week. For example, if you have a big project due at the end of the week, then staying out late Monday-Friday might not be wise.
I also suggest enjoying your days off. Do not be afraid to make time for yourself. I used to schedule time for myself in my calendar to avoid burnout. In college, I had sacrificed spending time with my friends or going out to parties. As I have matured, I learned to make myself the priority while keeping up my career.
I also suggest enjoying your days off. Do not be afraid to make time for yourself. I used to schedule time for myself in my calendar to avoid burnout. In college, I had sacrificed spending time with my friends or going out to parties. As I have matured, I learned to make myself the priority while keeping up my career.
Thank you for taking the time to help.
Jasmin
Pragna Hasthanthar
Software Engineer
1
Answer
San Jose, California
Updated
Pragna’s Answer
You've already got some fantastic advice on prioritizing and avoiding burnout. Balancing your social life with your career is all about making choices that align with your goals. Remember, keeping your health as a top priority is crucial.
In the early days of my career, I focused on boosting my skills to excel at work. I was fortunate to have time on my side, being young and single, which allowed me to dedicate extra hours during the weekdays to learn new coding languages and technologies. Weekends were reserved for socializing and hobbies. This balance was easier with fewer responsibilities.
A few years later, I shifted my focus to traveling, pursuing hobbies, and personal goals like running a marathon. This meant my career growth slowed down a bit, but it was a choice I made to enrich my life in other ways.
Now, with a family and a toddler, my priorities have changed again. I cherish any time I can find for self-care and personal development over social activities. The biggest challenge I face now is balancing time with my child while continuing my career in tech. Remember, it's all about finding what works best for you at each stage of life. Keep going, and trust that you're making the right choices for yourself.
In the early days of my career, I focused on boosting my skills to excel at work. I was fortunate to have time on my side, being young and single, which allowed me to dedicate extra hours during the weekdays to learn new coding languages and technologies. Weekends were reserved for socializing and hobbies. This balance was easier with fewer responsibilities.
A few years later, I shifted my focus to traveling, pursuing hobbies, and personal goals like running a marathon. This meant my career growth slowed down a bit, but it was a choice I made to enrich my life in other ways.
Now, with a family and a toddler, my priorities have changed again. I cherish any time I can find for self-care and personal development over social activities. The biggest challenge I face now is balancing time with my child while continuing my career in tech. Remember, it's all about finding what works best for you at each stage of life. Keep going, and trust that you're making the right choices for yourself.
Esha C
S/W Engineer
2
Answers
Houston, Texas
Updated
Esha’s Answer
List your priorities and keep working, but make sure to spend at least 20% of your time with friends and on hobbies. At first, you might need to plan and manage your time, but soon it will become a habit.
It's great that you're thinking about balancing your career and social life. As you grow, this will become a balance between work and life. Keeping your career in harmony with your social life is key to happiness and satisfaction.
Start by noting down what's important in your life, considering your age and time. If your career goal needs early focus, like in sports, prioritize it but still dedicate 20% of your time to social activities. Remember, you can meet new friends and build a social circle while pursuing your career. It might be tough at first, but you'll learn to manage.
For those studying and focusing on their careers, make sure to take some time for yourself. This will help you recharge and stay happy.
It's great that you're thinking about balancing your career and social life. As you grow, this will become a balance between work and life. Keeping your career in harmony with your social life is key to happiness and satisfaction.
Start by noting down what's important in your life, considering your age and time. If your career goal needs early focus, like in sports, prioritize it but still dedicate 20% of your time to social activities. Remember, you can meet new friends and build a social circle while pursuing your career. It might be tough at first, but you'll learn to manage.
For those studying and focusing on their careers, make sure to take some time for yourself. This will help you recharge and stay happy.
This was super helpful, thank you!
Jasmin
Leandria V. Devis, ICF ACC, CWDP
Manager, Coaching
3
Answers
Port St. Lucie, Florida
Updated
Leandria’s Answer
It is encouraged to find a space for yourself where you do something for yourself. For example, a activity that can help you disconnect from work and help you become grounded in enjoying life. This can be a sport, a hobby, time with family/friends, etc. This will bring balance to your social life and mental health. The other piece is committing to this space you are creating for yourself just as you would with any other commitment you make in life. Mental health and physical health is also important. Along with that setting boundaries, when at work. This can be created by setting expectations for the outcome you would like to achieve for your work.
When it comes to sacrifice, sometimes it comes with saying no to things. Understanding saying "no" doesn't have to be a negative, but can be a way to create boundaries around your own capacity. Prioritization is super important with helping you to decide what to say yes to and what to say no to. For example, particularly for working parents, you are sacrificing time with your children/family and when you are spending time with family, you may not be able to enrich yourself with other tools/skills, etc
Another example around sacrifice, is for when you might be working remotely. If you are working from home, you are sacrificing the in-office social experience. So although you have a bit more flexibility working from home, it comes with a price tag around the social component.
When it comes to sacrifice, sometimes it comes with saying no to things. Understanding saying "no" doesn't have to be a negative, but can be a way to create boundaries around your own capacity. Prioritization is super important with helping you to decide what to say yes to and what to say no to. For example, particularly for working parents, you are sacrificing time with your children/family and when you are spending time with family, you may not be able to enrich yourself with other tools/skills, etc
Another example around sacrifice, is for when you might be working remotely. If you are working from home, you are sacrificing the in-office social experience. So although you have a bit more flexibility working from home, it comes with a price tag around the social component.