Work life balance! Is it a myth that can never happen so why bother trying? Or is work life balance a real possibility that can definitely happen and ultimately lead to you living the wildly ideal life you dream of?
It all depends on how you define balance.
Many define balance as giving “equal attention to a career and a family all of the time”. Exactly 50% on work and 50% on life and family in terms of your time, energy, and focus.
The Work Life Balance Trap
With that rigid of a definition it won’t work, it can’t work. There can never be absolute perfectly equal balance. Life will throw up curve balls that will knock your best laid plans off track.
Unforeseen things are a natural part of life and business. They can come from others or external sources. They can also come from within. Then when they do, in addition to the initial stress that led to your seeking balance in the first place, you will have even greater stress added on because of your futile efforts to create equal work life balance using this rigid definition that you hold on tightly to.
Here’s How I Look At It
Work life balance is not meant to be equal all the time. Balance, creating harmony, and ultimately flow between all the important aspects of your life (including your business or career) is uniquely different to each person.
When you approach it with this kind of attitude you can much more effectively integrate it into your world. When you consciously look at the important but not urgent priorities in your world each week you can schedule where those things will fit in first.
Some weeks will focus more in certain areas than others. Other weeks will shift elsewhere. Go with the flow.
For instance this week I had two big priorities in one area of my business. Because I needed to schedule time for preparation for each they dominated my schedule. Other aspects of my business were minimized. Despite that I made sure to keep a visit to my dad an appointment for therapy of my injured foot on my schedule.
Next week will be very different. Early in the week is a major family priority that may affect some of the other days so I am leaving a certain amount of openness, flexibility, and have arranged potential support if needed. Later in the week are two full days of a business workshop. These are scheduled in first while everything else fits in where it will or, if they are not necessary, they shift to the week after.
Each day may seem out of balance to some. Perhaps each week might even seem out of balance. Over the course of a month though or a quarter year this flow balances out nicely.
As you begin to create a flow that works for you it may shift week by week, sometimes day by day or even moment by moment. As you begin to accept the flow and stay aligned to your ideal life vision… you will have balance, your balance!
How To Achieve Work Life Balance
Here are 5 steps you can follow to begin to create flow and the work life balance you want.
- Redefine It – in a far less rigid way
- Accept It – affirm to yourself that it truly is possible with the right effort
- Plan For It – let the weekly flow of differing priorities allow you to incorporate and schedule balance into your days
- Assess It – on monthly or quarterly basis where day to day imbalances will not appear so drastic
- Align All Decisions With Your Ideal Life Compass – if you don’t know what this is we should talk. Contact me today!
Living with work life balance in a way that ideally suites you so that your business can thrive while you live your wildly ideal life will take time and conscious effort to achieve. It may not be possible to do it yourself. If you’d like to explore how I can help check out my private coaching and mastermind groups.
Remember… life is meant to embraced, enjoyed, and fully lived; not merely endured!
Beginning with a degree in exercise science and kinesiology, Brent Haydey has evolved over thirty years as an entrepreneur; building four businesses, and as a health, executive, and life coach.
