on February 6, 2018
It may surprise you to hear that I don’t believe in a work/life balance. You may be wondering: “Heidi, what on earth does that mean? Are you a workaholic? Do you think people should live an off-kilter, unbalanced life?”
Not at all.
I simply don’t agree with separating “work” from “life.”
Work is a part of life. In fact, it’s a major part of life. In the U.S., 85.8 percent of males and 66.5 percent of females work more than 40 hours per week. Is that you? If so, you’re spending a huge percentage of your life in the office.
So, why separate the two? Since you’re spending a good portion of your life in the workplace, why not love what you do?
This all relates back to one of the three pillars of Self-Wealth: PURPOSE. If you don’t enjoy what you do, it’s really difficult to make up for that dislike during your off hours. You’ll spend so much time “recovering” from the day, you won’t be able to fully enjoy your time off. That’s why so many Americans come home at the end of the day, slump into their couch, and turn on the TV—they need to decompress from either a stressful or tedious workday.
To me, that is NOT balance. Getting a weekly massage or playing a round of golf on the weekends does not make up for detesting the rest of the work week. No matter how much meditation, yoga, family game nights, and sports leagues you’re in, you’ll always be fighting an uphill battle for “balance” if you don’t like your job.
The solution? Spend some time reflecting on what you do love to do and what your ideal vocation might be. See a career coach, if necessary. Open the conversation with your family and friends.
You probably already have some sort of idea of what you’d like to do and, if that’s the case, what’s holding you back? For many people, it’s the financial aspect. It’s terrifying to take a pay cut, even if a different occupation might make you happier. It’s even more terrifying to spend some time unemployed while you hunt for a new career. If you’re worried about getting your financial ducks in a row, talk to me. That’s what I’m here for.
If you’re tired of striving for balance in your life, it may be time to ask yourself some tough questions about your career. Life is too short to be stuck in a job that’s not a good fit. If you love what you do, balance will come naturally.