THE WORK-LIFE BALANCE TRAP

Individual Contributor Success / By /
THE WORK-LIFE BALANCE TRAP

Work-life harmony

There are a lot of articles, movements, and opinions about the importance of this concept of “work-life balance.”

I often read and hear comments through forums at my company about dealing with burnout, having more balance, etc. 

However, the concept has become kind of strange to me lately. Work and life are one of the same. The reason why humans find meaning have motivation and fulfillment is thanks to work. 

Humans find meaning in the challenges we face every day to achieve our milestones. The truth is that the route to get to our destination is what we genuinely enjoy. Loving the present moment is the purpose.

I am a massive fan of working from home. Many companies do not allow you to move wherever you want to live, close to the beach or country of your dreams. Nevertheless, I save so much time from what used to be the accepted routine; getting ready, leaving my child into daycare, commuting to work, and repeating everything backward to get back home. I am forever grateful for that time I have gained to reinvest in my family and me.

Being able to work from home, connect with my team, be productive, effectively communicate and grow my company from the comfort of my house without having to commute anywhere is the best gift technology has given me. I have never felt more balanced before. If I have an inspiring idea, I get online and work on it. If I feel like I need a break, I go and play with my baby for a while. I have my world in one integrated space to be myself—my work and passions, intellectual challenges, and family, all together in harmony, without having to waste timeless hours in traffic.

The fact that you are at home also means that more time than not, your children demand and reasonably need your attention during “important work hours.” Therefore, you have to creatively accommodate both aspects of your life not to get crazy. Nevertheless, my preference is to work from home and be closer to my child. I am fortunate as I have a caring husband who works from home. We can take turns with the care of our baby, plus my little boy has very helpful and sweet grandmas that love to help mommy and daddy whenever they can.

Work and life cannot exist without each other. Humans need something to do to feel part of this giant community. 

Working from home opens a door of flexibility and efficiency like never before. If we want to do exercise at noon, we can arrange our schedules. If we feel like taking a break and going for a walk or playing with our children for a while, we can do it!

Working from home allows us to be more connected with ourselves, family, and work in the best possible way. 

Screen Shot 2021 12 19 at 6.25.56 PM THE WORK-LIFE BALANCE TRAP

THE INFINITE ACCEPTED CYCLE OF INSATISFACTION

People get confused thinking that fulfillment will come when they get to 1 million USD in profit per quarter, get their next promotion, buy their dream home, retire at 30 years old with infinite money at their disposal.

But, when they get there, to whatever their idealized destination is, they soon realize humans are made to work—fulfillment is to serve, to create to do. Working, building, and following our passions is what makes us fulfilled. 

Many people who feel “imbalance,” burnout, and exhausted have a job they hate. Consequently, that imbalance feeling comes from demotivation. We all feel tired of working when we are too dedicated to a particular “problem,” and the stress arises each time more and more. Even the most passionate people need a break to clear their minds and spirits.

However, sadly, it is common to know people who do what they do automatically, following the path they were bought in as the path they must follow. These individuals consider their BIG passions like nothing more than dreams they will never act on to conquer.

Having a job you love and are passionate about is the most significant competitive advantage you can have. When others are resting or thinking in their genuine devotions, you will be happily learning, studying, and planning new strategies to improve whatever your business is.

We all have the same 24 hours a day. But, where our focus is, is what makes us achieve faster or slower results.

The fire that only passion ignites is what will make you stand out from the rest and make you one of the best.

A person that is happily, excitedly obsessed with what they do because their job is their calling is a person that does not consider their job as an impediment to life. For them, to live is to work. To work is to live.

There is no one size fits all approach when we talk about how many hours a week we should dedicate to work. It can be 4 hours a week for some; for others, 65. It depends on how excited and addictive to you is what you are dedicating your time and energy on. 

Be mindful of others’ dreams, support their passions and goals. If someone loves to work on weekends, holidays, and regular workdays because they love what they do, respect their hard work, focus, and be happy for them.

Find your rhythm, create your reality, and most importantly, be present, and enjoy the ride. The ride is what matters, not the destination.

Author: Ruth Valverde A.

 

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