We’re all familiar with trying to find that elusive work/life balance, but a lot of us feel like we often miss the mark. Which lends the question, is there really any getting it right? Perhaps it’s just about making it work for you.

In partnership with HSBC Private Banking

Here, we speak to Rachel Wei; an established businesswoman at the helm of her team as Market Lead at HSBC Hong Kong, as well as a wife and mother, to hear how she manages everything that life throws her way.

Get Organised It’s easy to feel unbalanced when you can’t get a grasp of the multitude of tasks on your plate. But often, getting organised can boost productivity and help you prioritise more clearly. Rachel shared with AllBright that her ‘organise everything’ mantra helps her keep a clear head, both personally and professionally. “I like to be organised, so I try and plan a week ahead – for both my personal and work life, as that way I know I will be at my most productive with my time,” Rachel tells AllBright. “I used to use a big page-by-page diary to organise my week, but since switching to digital alerts, I find I can set reminders ahead of time and swipe them away once they’re done.”

Make Time To Grow – Personally And Professionally Being organised is bound to make you feel more in control, but try and factor in some hours for self-development, too. Growth doesn’t have to be a regimented commitment; it can be as simple as having a stimulating conversation or discussion with your peers. Rachel told us how she makes sure she allocates time to both. “I’m quite lucky, because at my level, continued professional growth is quite accessible. I acknowledge that I’m fortunate enough to have courses and development opportunities offered to me – in particular, around the subject of female progression in the workplace,” she says. “Even if it means extra work or travel, it’s always beneficial to my learning.”

Female development across the work-force is a hot topic in Hong Kong, with the Financial Times reporting earlier this year that women occupy just 13.6% of board positions across the top 50 Hang Seng Index companies, with only 2% of these having a female CEO. However, the future is looking brighter. The percentage of women in Hong Kong’s labour force continues to rise; notably, growing from 41.1% in 1997 to 50.8% in 2019. This data, alongside attitudes around female progression like Rachel’s, restores positivity for women succeeding in the sector. On her personal growth, Rachel embraces a less strategic approach. “At home, I don’t have much time for structured growth in the form of skills-based courses, but I expand my learning though discussing topical subjects with my family – whether that’s something in the news or simply sharing opinions – and I find that builds my relationships and widens my understanding.”

But Equally… Have Interests That Help You Tune Out We often focus on the importance of ‘tuning in’, but what about switching off? Finding passions to enjoy outside of work that enable you to reset is just as important as the hours you clock up in your career. After all, everyone needs to take time out to unwind. “I have two main hobbies – golf and shopping!” says Rachel. “Buying clothes that make me feel my best at work help me feel confident, which is something that benefits my mindset.” She adds that having a hobby that is far removed from your day job can help balance stress, too. “I love to sew - it’s great to have something that’s so different from work to relieve stress.”

Surround Yourself With Positive People Seeing the positive in challenging situations isn’t always easy, but it can help to reset our mentality towards what balance looks like, allowing us to let go of our own personal expectations and restore our acceptance of reality. “I actively surround myself with positive people,” Rachel shares. “I try my best to avoid negativity in general - in a polite way, of course!” Rachel explains why she opts to immerse herself within networks of women that share her “half-glass-full” nature, and how that opens up conversation. “I think women are naturally better at networking. We have our little groups that we reach out to – whether that’s at work or with friends – where we can talk openly about home life, careers and relationships.”

Understand That Balance Doesn’t Look The Same For Everyone As women, we’re constantly inundated with expectations of what ‘balance’ should be. Excelling in our careers, whilst maintaining the perfect relationship, finding time to be mindful and nurture our children, too. For the majority, to master all of the above in tandem is unobtainable. And why shouldn’t it be!? Balance should simply look like whatever works for your lifestyle - an opinion shared by Rachel. “I wouldn’t say it’s so much about ‘balancing’ work life and home life; it’s more that they are both part of me,” she explains. “Now that my children are grown up, it’s much easier to pick up a bit of work at home when it suits my diary."

Accept Help From Your Personal And Professional Network Even the perfect balancing act can fall short. Embracing help graciously is a key part of preserving equilibrium, as well as avoiding trying to appear that you have it together, all the time. Figures found earlier in 2020 showed that 53% of working women have experienced increased anxiety since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak. Statistics like this highlight the importance of reaching out, at work or home, as even more critical. “A time I really battled to maintain balance was when my children were small. I never thought about giving up my work, but I did struggle,” Rachel says. “It’s so important to always ask for help from those you trust. When it comes to being a mother, I focused on the importance of quality time over quantity, and that really helped me maintain focus when I felt guilty.”

Your Attitude Towards Balance And Success Can Change, And That’s OK Naturally, different areas of our lives may be priorities at different ages and stages. But don’t be fearful of changing your approach. ‘Success’ can be measured in so many different ways, depending on your circumstances or mindset. “At work, I measure my success through how I am respected and my position at the company, but at home, it’s harder to monitor. Things change on a daily basis!” says Rachel. “I think success at home looks like having no regrets – for things I've done or haven’t done.”

The same can be said about your attitude towards work/life balance, which is something that Rachel champions. “As I’ve progressed on my career journey, my idea of balance has certainly changed,” she says. “Now that my children are older, I can pick up work at home, and understand that both my career and family are parts of my life as a whole. I don’t feel the need to separate them as much now.”

Disclaimer Investment and certain insurance products, including annuities, are offered by HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. (HSI), member NYSE/FINRA/SIPC. In California, HSI conducts insurance business as HSBC Securities Insurance Services. License #: OE67746. HSI is an affiliate of HSBC Bank USA, N.A. Whole life, universal life, term life, and other types of insurance are provided by unaffiliated third parties and offered through HSBC Insurance Agency (USA) Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of HSBC Bank USA, N.A. Products and services may vary by state and are not available in all states. California license #: OD36843. ARE NOT A BANK DEPOSIT OR OBLIGATION OF THE BANK OR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES ARE NOT FDIC INSURED ARE NOT INSURED BY ANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY ARE NOT GUARANTEED BY THE BANKOR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES MAY LOSE VALUE

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