Insert Witty Title Here

 Reflecting on the last time I felt a sense of occupational balance, I think back to my undergraduate college years. During that period, I managed to strike a good balance between my academic pursuits, personal life, self-care, and work commitments. I had the freedom to engage with friends, invest time in hobbies, and enjoy moments of solitude, all while keeping up with my studies. It felt like each aspect of my life could complement each other without disrupting my balance. However, this shifted dramatically when I started a family. Suddenly, my world revolved around nurturing little ones, navigating the whirlwind of infancy and toddlerhood, and simply surviving the chaos of being a stay-at-home mother. The concept of “working” took on a new meaning. Even though I wasn’t at a traditional job, my days were filled with constant work through caregiving and household management. In this new role, personal time became a distant memory, and maintaining a social life felt nearly impossible. It was a struggle to mentally reconcile the idea of not having a “job” while feeling perpetually occupied. As I recently began graduate school, my understanding of occupational balance has evolved yet again, bringing both positive and negative changes. On one hand, I found an increased balance between my home life and social interactions. Graduate school has opened doors for new relationships, personal betterment, and opportunities for academic interactions, which have been new and refreshing. On the other hand, the demands of coursework can sometimes overshadow my family time. When assignments pile up, it becomes a challenge to prioritize my loved ones amidst the academic responsibilities. To combat this imbalance, I’ve implemented structured time slots for my schoolwork. By designating specific periods for studying, I ensure that my academic responsibilities don’t encroach on precious family moments. This approach has helped me create a clearer boundary, allowing me to be present with my family without the constant pull of unfinished assignments. The addition of drawing to my new reality of occupational balance has been surprisingly beneficial to my well-being. It has become a peaceful addition to my weeks, providing me with a creative outlet that balances out the academic overload. Drawing allows me to unwind, engage my imagination, and enjoy some alone time which is something that I desperately missed during my past years of motherhood. This form of self-expression not only fulfills my class assignments but also helps me recharge, making me a more present and engaged wife and parent. My journey of occupational balance has been dynamic, shaped by my big life transitions. From the freedom of college to the chaotic yet fulfilling and incredible experience of motherhood, and now navigating the challenges of graduate school, I’ve learned that balance is not a static state of being but a continuous process. By implementing strategies that prioritize my time and discovering new interests such as drawing, I am working towards balancing my academic and personal responsibilities as well as my personal interests. This week, I didn’t really have much of a plan for my drawings. I actually tried out doing some sketches of random subjects in my Kindle Scribe which is where I normally take and keep class notes. It was interesting to see the difference that switching up mediums from paper to technology made in the outcomes. The main difference was that I couldn't blend or shade anything (at least with the simplistic setup I was using). This made an impact on the smoothness of the image which gave a more “sketch-like” look. So here are some random images, enjoy!