Balance: The Work vs Personal Life Tug-of-War

"Work-life balance."

It's the phrase that people throw around often. Recruiters say it, job posts write it, it's splattered all over the place as a selling point. We look at our organizational leaders to enable us to find that work-life balance. So we chase for that dream, but we rarely achieve it. And if we do, it's often fleeting and our plates overfill yet again.

It may seem like a bit of a nitpick, but I like to think of it more as work-life compromise.

Balance? Like these rocks?

I'm a strong believer that work and personal life is less about striking a balance, but understanding and navigating compromises. There will be days and weeks where you'll need to burn the midnight oil, but there will also be times where you can clock out on time and be able to pursue your hobbies.

3 key things to consider while you pursue that work-life compromise:

1. Like my previous blog post, remember to set boundaries for yourself. Know how to say no to certain things and set the necessary time aside to ensure you do not burn out. Be deliberate with your time.

2. It's okay to take short vacations on a regular basis; take a 3-day weekend here and there. These little breaks are can be effective and allows you to relax and re-center yourself.

3. Work moves on with or without you: as much as we all like to believe that we are immeasurably valuable at work, the blunt reality is we are not. Companies will continue to operate despite our absence. Look after yourself, because at the end of the day, only you know exactly what you need. Be clear with your peers and leaders what you need to recharge and come back refreshed, re-centered, and motivated.

You will need to explore how you respond to time off and how much time off you need to start to mentally relax. For example, on 3-day weekend breaks I tend stay tethered to my phone: I don't spend the time to turn off e-mail and work messaging systems because it isn't worth having to log back into 2-3 apps come Monday morning. Plus I'm not a fan of being surprised; the influx of e-mail and messages gives me anxiety. These short breaks do not provide me as much mental break as a longer and more deliberate vacation would. So, for me, I know that I need to plan deliberately around my work priorities and personal priorities to carve out 1-2 week long (or longer) vacations to give myself a respite from the unrelenting tempo of relentless pursuit of personal and career success.