Lynn Simmons

Gordon Jablonski

Vocational Development and Work/Life Balance

To identify three important theoretical insights from the textbook reading that explain work/ life balance in adult emotional and social development, I will have to go with the idea of a ‘social convoy’ throughout life’s’ journey. Secondly, the idea of marriage for stability. Lastly, the need for education. The social convoy makes sense since according to Mossler and Ziegler (2016), “Social normsaccompany roles and are generally seen as central to maintaining social order.” (p. 13.6) Social order is big in the emotional and social life of an adult. The convoy are the people in our lives that travel with us along our adult journey. In this same vein, I want to mention the sandwich generation because a lot of women are left to care for their own children and the aging relatives. This puts a lot of stress on these women and shapes their emotional lives as well. According to Mossler and Ziegler (2016), “Female children are three times more likely to provide support for daily activities than male children, even to in-laws…” (p. 13.7) Secondly, the idea of marriage for stability. Whether mainstream marriage or LGBT marriage, marriage defines our culture and society and anchors people in an emotional relationship that endures. Most marriages make it all the way through to the end even though we see more and more divorce and single-parent homes, marriage is still very popular in the emotional lives of adults. Lastly, the need for education is huge. Since machines are taking over many of the hard labor jobs that we had in the past, it is important for more skilled workers to be around and be knowledgeable in their field. Whether it is human services, nursing, technical, mechanical, education, or engineering—it is important for the workforce to be educated.

            I also like Super’s Stage Theory of Vocational Development. It makes sense that there is growth, exploration, establishment of career, maintenance over time and then deceleration. Holland’s Theory of Vocational Development is also informative since you can see what kind of career interests you and what kind of job fits your personality like: investigative, artistic, realistic, social, enterprising and conventional. These are both very good theories to help people understand the importance of work in life. To explain one best practice, I have in my life with respect to work/ life balance it is time management! I have had to learn over the years how to prioritize my time. I have time for family, time for work, time for school, time for self, time to clean, time to play with the dogs and time to sleep. I have had to learn this the hard way because I used to procrastinate and all the work would pile up on me until one day I became wiser and said I have to split my time up to get all of this work done. I would say that the best practice that I identified is grounded in the insights from Super’s Stage Theory but also from getting intrinsic and extrinsic rewards. When I manage my time and do well at work, I get praised. When I take time and do a paper in the correct way, I get a good grade. According to Blanchard-Fields (2009), “Adult development is a concept in which all parts of life are integrated into the matrix…” (p. 26) It is all very rewarding when done correctly and this is how the emotional and social life of an adult rolls through this journey called life.

References

Mossler, R.A., & Ziegler, M. (2016). Understanding development: a lifespan perspective. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

Blanchard-Fields, F. (2009). Flexible and adaptive socio-emotional problem solving in adult development and aging. Restorative Neurology & Neuroscience, 27(5), 539-550. doi:10.3233/RNN-2009-0516

Collapse SubdiscussionKeina Coleman

Keina Coleman

YesterdayJul 20 at 3pm

Manage Discussion Entry

Vocational Development and Work/Life Balance     

Social roles and relationships contribute to the development of an individual’s identity. Social roles often come with an expectation of how one is to act and behave (Mossler & Reigler, 2016). For instance, if one’s social role is defined as being a parent, one is accepted to have the attributes of a parent which is to love, protect, and to provide for their children. It is important that one properly manage their life priorities in life which includes their personal, societal, and work life. The consequences of inefficiently managing one’s priorities in life may lead to burnout, job stress, and decreased psychological and physical health.

Social support plays an important role in mental health and social well-being. Social convoys can increase one’s sense of belonging, connectedness, and quality of life. Social convoys are comprised of a network of individuals who are also useful in providing an individual with emotional support. It also provides them with a sense of protection and support during personal, social, and work related challenges that may arise in one’s life (Mossler & Zeigler, 2016). The structure of social convoys changes over time. As individuals get older, their social convoys tend to decrease in size.

Work has a heavy influence on a person’s life. Work influences how people live and influences their social activities. Job satisfaction or dissatisfaction affects one’s well-being (Mossler & Zeigler). Lack of job satisfaction has been associated with depression among women in the workforce. Women in the workplace receive a lower rate of pay than their male counterparts. Gender inequity contributes to the gender wage gap. Gender inequality also exists in the home. Working women who are in marital relationships, perform a larger portion of the household chores and spend more time caring for the children than their male counterparts (Mossler & Reigler, 2016). The disparity in the delegation of responsibilities leads to resentment, conflict, and marital stress. In order to maintain peace and balance in their work and home life, couples will have to communicate effectively with one another and equally share the home chores and responsibilities.

In order to maintain a healthy work and home life, I do not take my work home with me. I try to keep the two separated as much as possible. I try not to discuss work issues at home, but sometimes I do have to vent to my significant other. At my office, I try to focus on one task at a time, but I often find myself multitasking. As a counselor, I hear heart-wrenching stories from my clients that  I try not to dwell on after work. I spend time meditating or listening to music, these activities help to clear my mind. My social convoy plays a key role in helping to cope with my job stress and issues in my personal life.

Reference 

Mossler, R.A., & Ziegler, M. (2016). Understanding development: a lifespan perspective. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.