You identity is your greatest power

By Ismael Cala

There was a time when I used to think that my personal life was an obstacle to achieving professional success. I stubbornly not only worked tirelessly for years to develop my career as a communicator but also insisted on keeping my personal life separate from my work as a journalist. And I failed miserably in the attempt.

Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is crucial for our well-being, and it is essential to recognize that our personal life is an integral part of our professional success. As Ismael Cala points out, we cannot separate who we are in either of these circles, as we cannot divide our personality. We must understand that our personal life and our professional life are not mutually exclusive but are intertwined and have an impact on each other. Taking time off to recharge and engage in activities that we enjoy outside of work is vital for our mental health and can even enhance our job performance.We need to see our personal life as an investment in ourselves, not a distraction from work. By having interests, hobbies, and a supportive network of family and friends outside of work, we can build resilience and increase our capacity to handle stress and challenging situations.

Studies have shown that having a strong personal life can also have positive effects on our professional life. For instance, it can improve our confidence and self-esteem, as we learn to see ourselves as multifaceted individuals with skills and interests beyond our work.

What I mean is that we cannot separate who we are in any of these circles because we simply cannot divide our personality.

That our work requires more formal behaviors than those we would have with our friends does not mean that we should be two different people because we would be lying to ourselves.

Unless you have a mental health condition, you are who you are wherever you are, although your mood may sometimes be down or, conversely, more upbeat. The difference lies in understanding that solid identities, which are quite common in leadership, also show themselves in the same way outside the office.

Having a consolidated identity outside the company can increase confidence and resilience in your work. In fact, according to researchers at Stanford University, your hobbies, sports teams you follow or artists who inspire you, your leisure time, your friendships, and loved ones can become a huge cushion that will allow you to resist work stress.

According to data revealed by this study, those who participated in it showed that all the activities they did outside their professional world helped them understand that their self-esteem did not depend on any particular negative situation or any criticism they had received while performing their duties because they had enough selfconfidence not to take things personally.

Let’s learn to see the time dedicated to personal life as an investment in ourselves, not as a distraction from work, because our individual strength lies in it.