In Pursuit of Balance
Ah, the elusive work life balance…
I'm a fan of keeping things simple.
The challenge I’m finding is that the concept of “work-life balance” has been over-simplified, and many of us are just darned tired of failing at something others make sound so simple.
But why this sense of failure? I think it might be because it isn’t as simple as balance.
It’s not work on one side with life on the other. It’s far more complicated.
(Photo taken at Mission Hill Winery, B.C. 2017)
These are test strips – they help hot tub and pool owners keep their water chemistry in check.
The range of measures and the impact one chemical has on another can easily become complicated and unbalanced. The water needs to be checked regularly in an effort to maintain balance.
What if I monitored my weekly activity in my work and lifestyle, much like I monitor the water?
If I were to have a test strip, it might have colors to represent time focused on:
Family
Good Friends
Meaningful Work
Community
Personal Development
Nature
Health
And the measure wouldn’t be quantified as time necessarily, it would be qualified - was it time well spent?
And much like the effect of one chemical on others in the hot tub, extra time spent on one aspect of my life will effect others, sometimes for the better, and sometimes perhaps not. But, with regular monitoring and therefore greater awareness, I can be better prepared to recalibrate and readjust as needed.
(Photo taken at the Shuswap River; always time well spent)
So, how are you spending your time? Have you got the right mix for you? That’s the measure that matters.
The quality of time spent on what matters to you.