I have been a bit quiet over the last couple of months. During that period I was completely focused on work. We had a big annual conference coming up with over 3,000 people attending and I had some important responsibilities for the event.
It was my first time taking up these responsibilities and it meant that I had to really zone in. I was determined to deliver.
Last year I made a decision to step up and focus on my corporate career. Those that have followed my blog posts, will know that my focus had been split in the past. Whether that was focusing on building my music career or my short stint working on a merch business. However, over the past year that focus has changed and I have begun to see the rewards for it.
In preparation for the upcoming conference, I put in some serious hours. Working full days and weekends for over a month, the rest of my life was pretty much on hold. When I reflect on it, it brings me towards the myth of work/life balance. Working full days and weekends is purely called working however, what is a work/life balance? Is work not a part of life? Does life only begin when work stops?
Without going overtime on work, many of us spend the majority of our time working. If that time is dead time, then what life are you really living? When you are in school, do you say that you need more of a school/life balance? It sounds a bit silly right? We have to choose what to prioritise in life. Different periods will require different applications of focus. We are continuously juggling.
But to detach work from life, creates a sad existence where you are clinging on to very short moments of time.
On my work laptop, I have a wallpaper that says “Do what you love, love what you do”. 1) If you are doing what you love, surely that is living? 2) Sometimes we are too preoccupied with the idea of doing what we love. There are times when you need to focus on loving what you do. No one starts in their dream position, they get their through hard work and effort. This includes doing some things that aren’t on your bucket list.
It is all about creating a life. In this age we have so much choice. There are uber drivers who work in the evenings so they can spend time with their family during the day. It’s not about a work/life balance. It is just about a life balance and how you choose to live it. Whether that is spending a lot of time on work, family, socialising etc, it is all life. You can even mix it all up and work with your family and friends if you want to. Using our imagination and application we have the opportunity to design our lives.
Work should not be the enemy to life. And if you think it is and feel it always will be, maybe you need to change your work or change your perspective. There are people who are bored out of their wits when they retire and they go back to work? Why is that? Because being active is an important part of life. They needed to work to live.
Washing the dishes can be seen as work to some, but when my son sees me washing the dishes and copies me, he thinks it is play.
Perspective………
We need to be active. The question is not about a work/life balance, it is about what activities you choose to fill your life with.