Last month, one of the gentlemen featured in our Men to Watch section mentioned how important it is to live a balanced life. A seemingly simple concept, but one that can be difficult to achieve!
Since returning to work at the end of September, it has felt like my life has been anything but balanced. I knew from the beginning that I didn’t want to put my daughter in daycare full time, so I arranged part-time childcare while I worked nearly every evening, weekend and naptime. The problem? Although I got to see my baby a lot, when I did I was always thinking about work … and when she was sleeping or at daycare it seemed I had no option but to be at my desk! It felt like there was no time for anything else, and without that important work/life balance, I quickly began to get burnt out.
I finally admitted recently that adding another day of childcare every week was the best decision for my family. What a difference! As soon as I made that choice it felt like the burden fell from my shoulders, and since then I feel like my time is on a more even keel.
Speaking of balance, that’s a huge part of putting Seaside together every month. It’s about maintaining symmetry between the needs of our community, the history of the magazine and the requirement to keep things fresh and interesting and constantly moving forward.
As Sue mentions in this month’s “First Word,” we are celebrating 10 years of being on the Saanich Peninsula; I have been Editor-in-Chief of Seaside for nearly eight of them! About once a year or so, I pull out my first issue and read my “Last Word.” Doing so is a good check; it helps me step back and make sure I’ve not only stayed true to those goals I set for myself and the magazine all those years ago but also that we’ve grown and evolved.
We hear all the time from readers who love the magazine, and the history behind it, but while we respect that past, we understand that if you’re not moving ahead you’re left behind. That’s where balance comes in. There are columns, and writers, that have been in Seaside almost from the beginning. They are beloved by the community, and their words form the foundation of the magazine. But every year we look at our editorial calendar and decide which columns have gotten stale, and what community needs are not being met by the current roster. We then set out to fill those gaps with new, fresh talent and ideas. See our newest addition – Tech Talk – on page 59. We’re also constantly evaluating the look of the magazine – what still works well, and what could look better? You’ll see a design change with this month’s cover and table of contents; I hope you like it!
Achieving that balance makes Seaside the very special “purple cow,” as Sue says, at the heart of our neighbourhoods … and Your Saanich Peninsula Voice. Thank you for your support over the last decade.
