Work-Life balance for most professionals has become a mirage; we've heard of it, we understand its importance, but we never seem to get to that point of perfect balance. While some have decided to quit trying, many of us are still very much interested in having that balance for varying reasons.
The not-so-good news is that work-life balance can never be achieved in the way most of us perceive it. The good news however is that, with better understanding and a little tweak in perspective, work-life balance is something we can all achieve easily.
When most people think about work-life balance, they think of a situation in which they get to devote equal amount of time to their work and their family. This is the first of two misconceptions about work-life balance. Firstly, work-life balance is not trying to share your time between your work and family, there is much more to it.
There are five different sections that make up our lives, two of which are Work, and Relationships(family falls under this section). The other three components are Health, Spirit, and Interests. Therefore when we think about work-life balance, we are trying to create a balance between;
*What you do for a living
* The people that matter to you
*The state of your physical and mental wellbeing
*Your beliefs and a sense of commitment to something bigger than you
*Your interests, likes, hobbies, and passion.
The second misconception, which is what makes work-life balance seem unattainable, is that we need to devote an equal amount of time to all these areas of our lives. This, as you most probably have found out, is absolutely impossible. What then is the whole balance thing about?
Actually, work-life balance is less about making the remaining four sections of your life compete with your work for your time, its more about making "small investments" in the right place. Its less about taking long trips and family vacations;its more about making sure that the little things gets done.
A lesson from my social media class says "one minute everyday is better than 10 hours on Saturday". Work-life balance is achieved using this same principle. Forget the cliches (plan your day to perfection, set goals, prioritize etc) and focus on what really matters. Humans will always live as humans, so there is no point adopting a robot culture. To achieve that balance we desire, we simply have to ensure that we make those small investments in the right places. In context of the different sections our lives here are examples
* Smile even after a tough day, a broad daily smile is better than a laughter filled 2-day vacation.
* A 20 minute workout every morning is better than 5 hours at the gym once a month
* Listen to a sermon on your way to work each morning, instead of trying to squeeze out time for a 3 day retreat.
* Carve out a nice article from your work notes for your company newsletter, instead of hoping to complete that novel when you retire.
The whole idea of work-life balance is hinged upon the need to ensure that other areas of our lives do not get neglected due to the pressing demands of the work area. Therefore, the important thing is to make sure that on a daily basis, we take advantage of every opportunity to give expression to those other aspects of our lives. This will not guarantee a perfect balance of shared time between sectors, what it guarantees rather is a well rounded, happy, and less demanding life; the life of a human.
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