“What Matters to Me? And How Do I Get It?” was an engaging workshop lead by Laura Freebairn-Smith in front of a full house at the Peabody Museum on June 5th. The workshop aimed to provide participants with a roadmap to achieve a work-life balance while working at Yale. Right away, the room pulsated with a palpable energy as the audience reacted to Laura’s humorous and engaging style. She rolled out her work-life balance strategy through a series of interactive exercises. She outlined 5 no-nonsense rules of conduct for oneself, such as “be present” and “speak your truth.” She also asked the participants to use the “Circle of Life” to grade various areas of personal development, such as family, work, friends, finances, and home life. Participants were encouraged to focus on one of the goals at a time and to reevaluate on a regular basis.
The power of her strategy resides in the fact that it is based on small incremental personal changes. It also empowers people to make their own changes on their own terms. While this session was directed at a professional audience, this roadmap could easily apply to a non-work related environment.