Work-Life Balance

Work-Life Balance is Meaningful daily Achievement and Enjoyment in each of my four life quadrants: Work, Family, Friends and Self.

Achievement and Enjoyment are the front and back of the coin of value in life. You can't have one without the other, no more than you can have a coin with only one side. Trying to live a one sided life is why so many "Successful" people are not happy, or not nearly as happy as they should be.

At the core of an effective work-life balance definition are two key everyday concepts that are relevant to each of us. They are daily Achievement and Enjoyment, ideas almost deceptive in their simplicity. Achievement and Enjoyment answer the big question "Why?" Why do you want a better income…a new house…the kids through college…to do a good job today…to come to work at all?
The hectic pace of today's world makes it increasingly difficult to find work-life balance- and stress is usually the result. Spend too much time at work and your home life suffers. Likewise, unexpected and crucial family obligations often cause productivity at work to suffer.
Many of us have an image of personal balance as a set of scales in perfect balance every day. But that’s an unrealistic goal. You are in for a lot of frustration if you try to allocate within every day a predetermined portion of time for work, family and your social life. An illness may upset all your plans. A business project may demand peaks of intense work, followed by valleys of slow time.

Balance requires continual adjustments, like an acrobat on a high wire who constantly shifts his weight to the right and to the left. By focusing on four main areas of your life – emotional/spiritual needs, relationships, intellectual needs and physical needs – at work and away from work, you can begin to walk the high wire safely.

There was a time when employees showed up for work Monday through Friday and worked eight- to nine-hour days. The boundaries between work and home were fairly clear then. But the world has changed and, unfortunately, the boundaries have blurred for many workers.

The reason for this imbalance lies because of Global economy. As more skilled workers enter the global labor market, people feel pressured to work longer and produce more just to protect their jobs. The second is International business; Work continues around the world 24 hours a day for some people. Advanced communication technology is leading many to work from anywhere — their home, their car and even on vacation. And some managers expect this. Employers commonly ask employees to work longer hours than they're scheduled. If you hope to move up the career ladder, you may find yourself regularly working more than 45 hours a week to achieve and exceed expectations. Changes in family roles; Today's married worker is typically part of a dual-career couple, which makes it difficult to find time to meet commitments to family, friends and community.

Ralph Waldo Emerson has described the best which I remember as
“To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and to endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because I have lived. This is to have succeeded”

One should evaluate the relationship to work and apply some specific strategies for striking a healthier balance. Like a healthy and balanced diet, your work and personal life needs a little bit of all the good stuff. Set time aside for work, set time aside for your family and set time aside for you.
One should regularly do something one enjoys. It will recharge our batteries. Having a high energy level is a trait held by many highly successful people
There is nothing wrong with pushing yourself hard; disciplining yourself to do what need to be done when you hold yourself to the highest standards. That builds up stamina and turns you into a pro. At time, though, you must forgive yourself.
Occasionally, get off the expressway and take a side road, literally and figuratively. That road may take you to the library or to the golf course. Do something out of the ordinary to avoid the well-worn grooves of your life. There are powerful rewards for balancing personal interests with the needs of the common good. One of the most wonderful is the sheer joy that can come from giving. Another reward is the better world that you help create. Some individuals devote a regular time each day to visualize themselves attaining their goals and dreams. Others read, pray, meditate, do yoga or just contemplate a sunrise or sunset. Whatever form it takes, time spent alone can have an enormous payoff. Achievers talk about an inner strength they find and how it helps them put competing demands into perspective. They feel more confident about their choices and more self-reliant. They discover a sense of balance, centeredness.
If you love what you do, the time you spend becoming competent is less likely to be drudgery. As important as it is, how to save time for balancing your life is not the ultimate question. That question is, “What am I saving time for?” Strategy has to do with being successful – but successful at what?
Sometimes working overtime is important. If you work for a company that requires mandatory overtime, you won't be able to avoid it, but you can learn to manage it. Most importantly, say no when you're too tired, when it's affecting your health or when you have crucial family obligations

Remember, striking a work-life balance isn't a one-shot deal. Creating balance in your life is a continuous process. The Demands on your time change as your family, interests and work life changes. Assess your situation every few months to make sure you're keeping on track.
Balance doesn't mean doing everything. Examine your priorities and set boundaries. Be firm in what you can and cannot do. Only you can restore harmony to your lifestyle.