Work-Life Balance as an Aspect of Self-Directed Learning in the Profession of Cultural Animator

Abstract

The article addresses the issue of self-directed learning in the profession of cultural animator. The aim of the theoretical findings presented is to highlight the concept of work-life balance as a si­gnificant area of self-directed learning for cultural animators. In the face of growing professional demands and the dynamic nature of the cultural animator’s work, the continuous broadening and updating of competencies become unavoidable. This profession, versatile and demanding, involves activities that blur the boundary between professional and private life, which can lead to negative outcomes, such as burnout. Self-directed learning in the area of work-life balance can help mitigate such undesirable consequences. In the literature, work-life balance is most often defined as an in­dividual’s ability to combine professional duties with other aspects of life, such as family relation­ships, social activity, or personal interests. In order to build the argument, the article outlines the issue of self-directed learning in adult education, then presents the characteristics of the cultural ani­mator profession, and subsequently proposes arguments that position the concept of work-life ba­lance as an integral dimension of self-directed learning within the profession of cultural animation, while identifying specific problem areas and forms of self-directed learning.