Reflecting on Work-Life Balance and Inner Changes

When I was drinking with my colleagues, I accidentally heard a fragment of “unboring” talk. The moment I realized it was about work life balance, I felt so happy that I couldn’t even take my breath.

The staff seemed to be waiting for me. Everyone was looking at me as if they were waiting for something important to happen. But actually, it’s just the usual morning routine. No one really pays attention except when you have a reason to do so.

I proceeded to the canteen after work. The air was warm and humid, and I couldn’t help but feel a little tired from yesterday’s long meeting. When I saw the menu, my heart sank. There were only two options for lunch: chicken wings and miso soup. My stomach immediately sent out a signal that I was full.

I think I’ve been staring at this desk for too long now. The paper is beginning to look like it’s falling apart from all the tearing. Every time I open my eyes, there seems to be another piece missing. But maybe I’m just being too hard on myself.

I tried to get up and stretch but found it difficult. My arms hurt like they’ve been beaten with a heavy hammer for hours. My back is a mess of knots andaches. I can’t even sit straight without the pain radiating through my body.

I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting this. It feels like a whole world has been taken away from me. But the thing that hurt the most was not knowing what to do with myself or where to begin cleaning up all this mess.

I sat there for a while, staring at the floor in front of me. The dust motes were spinning around like they had been given orders by some unseen force. I picked one up and held it close to my chest. It felt warm and fuzzy, just like old memories of my grandma’s house.

I’m not sure if this is a coincidence or if it was always this way inside me. Maybe it’s because I was brought up in such an environment that I didn’t realize how much it had shaped me until now.

I looked around at the mess again, trying to find something familiar. The corners of my mouth curled into a small smile. It felt so strange but also so good to be back here.