Babatunji Fagbongbe

If I worked harder and put in more time and effort, I could become a director and the next step will be the Managing Director. So I kept giving even at the expense of my family and health.

Then one day I was called into the MD’s office and as the doors shut, there were a lot of preambles and I did not see it coming but then it hit me right between the eyes as it was delivered. “You are being made redundant and all the details are available in this folder”. As I held my head in my hands, one of the first things that came to my mind and that I said how much this job has affected my family. How I was not really there as my son was growing up. Despite spending 70 hours regularly and sometimes 80 hours a week, I never believed my world could come crashing down just in a meeting with the coldest unkind messenger delivering the message

After the initial shock, denial, and anger, I started asking myself how can I turn this around? What if there is a way for me to provide for the family and be there for the family as well.

Over a period of 4 years, I searched and looked for “the way”. And I have to say it was painful sometimes and I did make some costly mistakes in the process. However, I managed to turn things around and what I found was that while my income multiplied, my work stress levels reduced and I was more present at home and get to have out with the family and kids.

And then I found that there were many dads like myself who are putting in a lot to provide for the family but are not there for the family they are seeking to provide for. Which has led me on a mission to working with these dads to recalibrate, reprioritise their life and get better work-life balance