Chris: Work-life balance | Sunday Observer

Chris: Work-life balance

24 June, 2018

It ain’t easy being a real-life superhero, even if fan-favourite Chris Hemsworth makes it look so.

The Avengers: Infinity War star spoke of how difficult it still is to have proper work-life balance. Even for a star of his calibre, “half of the time it’s out of my control.” But when he does have a say over his schedule, Thor does all he can to focus on the things that really matter: his wife and children back home in Australia.

“I just try and make sure I’m at home as much as possible and with the kids as much as possible,” Hemsworth said, emphasizing the importance of spending time with loved ones.

And if he can’t be home as much as he wants to, Hemsworth tries to include his kids into his work-schedule as much as possible: “If I do have to go to work, I try and bring them with me.” For the father of three “you’ve just got to make the effort” when it comes to family.

What started as a ground breaking music video ended in a savage attack by a cowardly K9. Never work with Kids or Animals.— Chris Hemsworth (@chrishemsworth)

For Hemsworth, part of that effort was moving back to Australia with his family. Now happily settled in the hippie surfer town of Byron Bay, Hemsworth says his family did not do well in Hollywood. “It’s suffocating and you stop becoming a person. You have nothing to draw from because you’re living in this world of pretend on and off screen,” he said.

Hemsworth also revealed the strain his career had put on his relationship with wife Elsa Pataky: “In terms of work, she’s certainly given up more than I have. She’d like me to step back and be at home with the kids more, and of course, I want that too.”

Unfortunately, work still gets in the way a lot, especially as he’s thinking of his career long-term: “I’m at this crucial point in my career – I’ve just got to set up for longevity or I’ll slip off.”

But during his eight years of marriage, Hemsworth has learned more lessons than nurturing a healthy work-life balance and spending more time with the kids. “My wife and I fell in love, had kids, didn’t really see each other for a few years, then fell back in love,” he summarized the early years of his marriage.

Thor may be a doting father, but he learned the importance of setting time aside just for himself and his wife: “Once you have children, every instinct and every moment of your time is consumed by that.”

But that too can put a strain on a happy home life, so he’s since made a point of reconnecting: “Make sure you have a date night even if it’s once in a blue moon.”

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