The Myth of Work/Life Balance

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The Myth of Work/Life Balance

It really is a myth. I’m sure you’ve all seen the life balance wheels. It’s like a pie with different slices representing an aspect of life such as career, relationships, etc. The premise is to balance the pieces as closely as possible. I’ve seen everyone from Tony Robbins to Dale Carnegie using them. We at THRIVE use them too as they’re quite useful for illustrating various points.

However, if someone tells you you can have all the pieces of the pie in balance, run like the wind. The fact of the matter is we’re always robbing from Peter to pay Paul. If I have an important deadline, all my time goes into that deadline. So I pull from one aspect of my life to fulfill an obligation in another. If I have a networking dinner with clients, I’m missing dinner with my family. If I volunteer at my church, I’m taking time away from other things. Or, if I’m taking care of an aging parent, everything but the essentials are put on hold.

So, what’s the big push behind work/life balance and why have we bought into it as though it were the latest pet rock? Well, it’s a catchy phrase if nothing else. It’s also a phrase that has sent the vast majority of us on a hamster wheel trying to achieve this unobtainable state and beating ourselves up for not being there.

It all boils down to getting sh_t done!  ‘Cause the fact of the matter is… sometimes we need to get sh_t done, whether we want to or not. So we’ve sent ourselves out on this aimless quest to find more enjoyment because our entire being is crying out for something more than the spark in the hayfield to-do list.

And exactly what is it that we’re searching for on this quest…

FUN!   . . .  FUN! . . . FUN!

And more of it. We’re starving for it. We want excitement, zest, and joy. And the closest we’ve been able to come to it is this “work/life” balance thing. So, why don’t we just tell our bosses, “Dude, I’ve been working my butt off and frankly I need more fun! So, screw this work/life balance thing, I’m having fun!”

Well, we all know that will get us a very large cup of jack-squat.

So now what?

Well, the long and short of it is to infuse more fun into your life. Infuse it whenever you can and into whatever you’re doing. The more rewarding you can make every experience, the more balance you’ll naturally feel in life.

But remember if all else fails, at least try to change your perspectives.

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What Makes You Come Alive?

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By Lori Kuhn
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” – Howard Thurman
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What makes you come alive? (I’m not referring to sex, people).
If you don’t know your answer, you’re not alone. In society, we can get caught up in the grind and lose touch with life’s joy- the things that truly inspire us.
When you let yourself come alive, your higher mind says, “WOO HOO, DO THIS! DO THIS!” It is the ultimate energy generator that will keep you moving forward.
Do you remember an experience of being so alive that you feel invincible?
The excitement of being “in your flow” is a complete experience. It contains everything you need to experience the moment. When there, you understand life unfolds in harmonious ways.
When you are not there, life provides a reflective mirror to help you see what is getting in your way. To propel yourself forward, identify it and let it go.
Acting on your excitement is something that clears out things that are not in line with your highest good. Then you can address beliefs that are no longer serving you. Where we go wrong is we see these issues as obstacles that can’t be overcome or let them deter us from our greatest excitement. We inadvertently allow them to prevent us from moving forward. They’re not there to prevent us from moving forward. On the contrary, obstacles are there so we can look at them and decide how we can use them (or release them) so we can move forward. They show us what beliefs need to be addressed so we can become better versions of ourselves. They are navigational tools that can be used to guide us to where we want to be.
Following your excitement or your passion does not have to be a major life decision, but it is common to think it does. Then, we don’t make a decision. It’s too overwhelming. Too committing. Too ambiguous.
The solution? Break decisions down into manageable pieces. Follow your passion moment-to-moment, day-by-day. Overwhelming decisions become manageable and clear.
A tool to do this: Ask yourself…”In this moment, with all all the options available to me, what do I want to do most? What will make me feel the best?”
Then do it. Do the one that evokes the most excitement. Do the one that you have the most capability to act on in that moment.
The more you decide to follow your excitement, the more exciting opportunities will avail themselves to you.