Work-Life Balance Part 4: Ginny Cake
Ginny Cake asks for feedback from family and friends to balance her life
In more than 35 years with Duke, Ginny Cake has learned that work-life balance is a moving target.
"In IT, there's always a sense of urgency and a certain level of stress," said Cake, who was promoted to assistant chief information officer at Duke in 2008. "That's one of the things I love about my job - I perform better with a certain level of stress. But I've learned to listen to my husband and my friends when they tell me I need to take time for myself."
For her, that means taking time to exercise and garden - she has four raised beds of vegetables and flowers - or play golf with her husband.
Every career goes through phases when either work or family requires more time and attention. In recent months, for example, Cake has worked unpredictable hours helping to plan Duke's new campus in Kunshan, China.
"There's a 13-hour time difference, which means early morning and late evening calls that sometimes create immediate priorities," she said.
But she also appreciates Duke's flexibility at times when family must come first like when she lost her mother and father to cancer. "The great thing about this environment is I don't feel pressured to work 24/7," Cake said. "That's one of the reasons I've stayed at Duke as long as I have."
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