-Written by SIYP Team
What does it mean to have work life balance?
Wikipedia defines work life balance as, “A concept including proper prioritizing between “work” (career and ambition) and “lifestyle” (health, pleasure, leisure, family, and spiritual development/meditation).”
In today’s world, work life balance may seem elusive because many areas of our life almost require us to do more with less.
This causes many people to get frustrated thinking balanced living and work life balance will never be possible.
It’s time to set the record straight and time to give yourself a break.
You can have it all without doing it all. You just need to change your perception and definition of what “having it all” means.
If you are someone who feels you must be able to do everything at 100%, you’ll likely get very frustrated in any pursuit of work life balance.
You have to understand the very definition of the word ‘balance’ implies give and take. In order for you to take more from one area of your life (such as taking more time for yourself), you must give up some time, focus, energy, etc. from another area (such as ambition).
This give and take is a key component of balanced living or “work life balance”.
Work life balance is often about paring down where you can. This is likely where you have excess focus. And redirecting that energy to another area necessary for your definition of balance but you feel is lacking.
That’s it. That’s really the key. No, it’s not as easy as it sounds. But it’s not as hard as you likely think.
It’s simply learning the skills necessary to be more confident so you can ask and take what you want and need to experience work life balance and balanced living.
You CAN learn these skills. There are people who can help you. Sometimes it takes someone from the outside to show you where you are unbalanced and how to get from here to where you want to be.
When we have work life balance, do we have peace? Do we have perfection? Do we have our own personal Nirvana?
Most likely, no. Again, if we are searching for perfection, we will likely be disappointed. Life just isn’t perfect. It’s sometimes hard, frequently sad, and often messy.
The goal of life isn’t perfection. It’s about – just as the phrase itself says – balance. Balanced living. A life that is in balance will be a life that grows in positive directions and despite life’s imperfections, will thrive.
