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Webster’s defined balance as “a state of equilibrium between contrasting, opposing, or interacting elements”. Equilibrium is a reactive thing. As a force pushes, it adjusts.
When people talk about life-work balance, they inevitably talk about amounts of time designated to certain areas of their lives. If they draw it out, it will take the shape of a pie, with slices allocated to sleep, work and family.
Balance is not about stasis. If you were to remain fixed and static, and a force pushed against you, you would fall over.
Why, therefore, do we try for fixed proportions when we talk about life-work balance?
Small Corrections from a Good Starting Place
Let’s take a look at a unicycle rider. The person must first get up on the cycle, initially balance, and then you will see him adjusting the cycle with his torso and the pedals.
Without that initial balance, the cycle rider will fall. Without the adjustments, gravity will take over.
Just as a rider on a unicycle must adjust himself to stay upright in the same general location, we also must learn to move from an initial starting position and adjust ourselves in small ways if we are going to remain in balance.
In order to get a good life-work balance, you need to start in a sustainable position. Look at your pie chart of activities as they are now. Is there anything that can be changed? Is there anything that could be changed? If you are working 80 hours a week and have no down time, it may be time to adjust your job. If you have a large chunk of time labeled “television” or “internet” it may be necessary to cut back on those to get that initial balance.
Once you have your initial balance, work on small adjustments. If you are toiling hard one week on a work project, make sure to adjust the next week and take some time to do something else.
And remember, it is never too late to get off the cycle and restart.
Photo by Karl Horton