Work-life balance is not a real thing. We all know that, right?
I have just come out of a season of hustle (I called it my season of big energy) and I came to understand this probably more than any other time in my life.
The extra energy that I was giving to my business didn't just mean that my non-work priorities stopped or mattered less to me. I did have to make choices though, in order to keep up the big energy that my business required.
I have work and home and kids and a husband and a business and a family and friends and.... maybe you have all of that and more. Maybe you have none of that but other things.
This applies to all of us. I want to encourage all of us.
There can't always be hustle in all things.
There can't always be hustle in any one thing.
There can, however, be harmony in the hustle....so let's just forget about this balance idea.
So why can't there be balance?
Well, balance implies a fixed, stationary point - equal on both sides. It isn't as simple as work stuff vs non-work stuff with equal weight at any given time. This just can't be true.
It does not take into consideration, a person's season (of life). There are certainly times when some areas require much more mental energy and physical energy without an ability to balance that intensity somewhere else.
Balance doesn't take desires into account. How much time would you like to spend with your family? How much time would you like to invest in a hobby or a work project or a growth opportunity?
The answers to both a person's season of life and their desires will greatly influence their ability to attempt to create harmony.
So how do we attempt to establish harmony?
The Harvard Business Review suggests that the process should include a few steps, which I will summarize here:
Sound familiar? It's a pivot!
What if we were to reflect as our season changes, understand our focus and need in the season and pivot until we are able to arrive at harmony?
That would be amazing and while it's not easy to reassess and pivot all the time, this assessing and pivoting is a more fluid process - not stationary.
We can be fluid, right? We constantly reevaluate and pivot, having to reprioritize on the fly even.
This sounds familiar because I have talked about it numerous times in this space. People who work to grow themselves have to establish harmony MORE than those who don't....because we introduce (and welcome) more change in our lives. We have to assess and pivot to continue growing.
So now what? If we strive for harmony instead of balance, what do we gain?
You must re-evaluate your evolving feelings and priorities and adjust your work and life choices accordingly. It's a process and takes effort.
As you grow and take on new challenges, other areas of your life will have to adjust to fit your focus. Just for a season.
Harmony looks different for each person.
Balance doesn't exist but harmony can - so your efforts are best spent there, each season and according to your own desires for growth.
You can simply let go of all else.
If it's your season of focusing on family, let that be enough and know that other focuses will get less energy during this time.
If it's your season of play, let that be enough and know that other focuses will get less energy during this time.
If it's your season of health, let that be enough and know that other focuses will get less energy during this time.
There can't always be hustle in all things.
There can't always be hustle in any one thing.
Understanding that we should not work toward the unattainable can bring peace of mind.
Why even talk about this?
We talk about this because we all face it....all the time. We need reminded that there is no right answer, no magic solution.
It's personal and you are normal in having to think about it.
Take heart! Work-life balance isn't attainable and also shouldn't be our goal because life is not a fixed point, it's fluid and requires pivoting to bring harmony for you, in your season.
Harmony can be achieved in the hustle and as part of your growth journey.
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