There’s no such thing as work – life balance.
At least not the way people talk about it.
My issue with the phrase is that it makes it sound like work and life are on opposite sides of a scale. This phrasing gives work too much power. It sounds like work and life are equally matched forces, constantly dueling for control.
I don’t think work is separate from or equal to your life. It is part of your life. Your life is meant to be a wonderful, rich experience.
Your work is meant to provide an income, productivity, and a place to add the value of your unique talents and hard work. It is a means of supporting your bigger vision, but it is not supposed to compete with your life.
There will always be a push and pull because we all go through seasons where work requires us to be all in, put in crazy hours, and push through the stress. It’s up to us to ensure these periods are just temporary and that they don’t become the norm.
I’m much more interested in how my work aligns with my life – how it supports the life I want and my ability to show up authentically.
• Is my work supporting my life or dominating it?
• Are my values and priorities showing up in how I lead and make decisions?
• Does success actually feel good, or just feel like endless frustration and stress with no destination?
This way, I’m focused on building an integrated life rather than chasing some perfect version of balance.
