Work-Life Balance

I have always been befuddled by the term “work-life balance”. Is our work not an integral part of our life? Is our work not part of the expression of our creativity? With or without a formal job, aren’t we involved in constructive pursuits? Is our work not an essential part of our service to our families, communities, and the “greater good” or “big picture”?

What is meant by work-life balance? What amount of work is too much or too little? Isn’t work truly part of a balanced life? Is the old adage that the only thing worse than having a job is not having a job true? Are we perhaps actually seeking work-rest or work-play balance?

In her book, The Four Fold Way (HarperSanFrancisco, 1993), Angeles Arrien describes 4 domains of life: work/creativity; health; relationship; and resources/blessings. Our work is not external to our life, it is integral. It is a part of our life, but not all there is to our lives.

Peter Block in The Answer to How is Yes: Acting on What Matters (Berrett-Koehler Publishers, San Francisco, 2003), provides insight to our relationship with work. When we are working or at work, it is still our life. Our working and non-working hours are not meant to be in opposition to or in conflict with each other. Rather what we are seeking is balance in our lives. We need balance among those aspects of our lives which are necessary, practical and useful and those that bring meaning, purpose, passion, joy and contentment. Our balance must support our individual needs and desires and the demands placed upon us by our “collectives”, i.e. our workplace, family, community and culture. This equilibrium is a moving target – a delicate “dance” between our personal objectives and the impact from the responsibilities which come our way from the various collectives in which we participate.

We exist in a constantly changing reality that repeatedly requires us to make choices and changes to achieve, maintain, or regain our equilibrium. In fact, a favorite definition of mine for health is balance. Finding, losing, and rediscovering balance educates us about impermanence, uncertainty, and the transient nature of life. Seeking balance along our own unique path we develop knowledge and skills that support our well-being, in the context of the natural and created environments in which we live.

When you are confronted with questions about your work-life balance, try to engage the question from the perspective of what really matters to you, supports your heart’s desire, your preferred vision of the future, and is a step in the direction of your life’s dream. Then the issue will be seen in its broadest context – is my life in balance?

 “Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” – T. Roosevelt