Why Work Life Balance is Misleading.

Is focusing on work life balance really the way to achieve your ideal business and life?

Work life balance is a phrase much bandied about these days. However, the phrase can be misleading. Misleading phrases can lead to actions that deliver different results to the ideal that you really want – and that is a problem.

The Principle Behind Work Life Balance

Don’t get me wrong, the principle behind the phrase work life balance is a sound one. Focussing on the impact work life has on our personal freedom, quality of life, lifestyle and family life, is a very important thing to do.

Why the Phrase Work Life Balance is Misleading:

• it implies that work and life need to balance each other equally – misleading! Work and life don’t need to balance each other equally. Work needs to support you in living life fully.

• it implies that work and life are of equal value – misleading! They are not of equal value. Do you really put the same value on work life as you do on family, health and personal freedom? If not, then focussing on getting them to balance is counter-productive.

• it implies that work and life are separate things – misleading! They are not separate things. When you are at work that is you living life. When you are with your family that is you living your life. Stop seeing work as separate to your life – IT ISN’T! There is only living life. Nothing else. Everything else is an activity. Important distinction.

Why this is a problem

The reason this is a problem is this – you get what you focus on!

If you are focussing on balancing work and life, it could be stopping you from taking the actions that will create your ideal based on what is most important to you and your core values.

Balancing work and life doesn’t mean you have or will achieve your ideal business life, family life and lifestyle. It doesn’t mean you are living life on your terms.

So, it might be worth considering this:

Are your work life balance strategies moving you towards your absolute ideal business life, family life and living life on your terms?

If not, it might be time to reassess your approach to this subject.

In the post The Alternative To Work-Life Balance we explore alternatives to focussing on work life balance and actions you can take that are more likely to support you in achieving your ideal business, lifestyle and family life.

I would be interested to hear your views on the whole work life balance movement in the comments below.