Work-Life Balance: Is It Even Possible?

Here’s the thing. I love good conversations. I love debriefs, catch-up’s, and new perspectives.

A topic that has come up in many of my recent conversations about work and life is balance. People talk a lot about work/life balance, how to attain it, and what that looks like.

Do you think balance is possible?

I do believe balance is possible, however, I also believe that everyone’s idea of balance is different. Equally, I believe the balance that many people seek only comes after years of imbalance.

What’s the old saying? Good things take time.

If you happen to be a person that is passionate about your work, and you love what you do, and you are dedicated to it, it may not feel like an imbalance to you. I think this is a mark many of us miss. The same feeling one person gets by getting on an airplane and sitting by the beach for a week, can also be the same feeling that someone gets from researching their work more and spending time in their office. We shouldn’t shame either party.

This past May, I had the absolute honor of seeing the Broadway show Gypsy. Audra McDonald put on the best performance I have ever seen in my lifetime. As I was in the moment, I realized that I may never see anyone give as much as she did in the 3.5 hours that she was on that stage. There was no balance in that time from my perspective, she gave everything. I was in the audience; she was at work.

I believe a lot of us want balance, but we also admire, or even at times demand relentless excellence from others. We want our surroundings to operate at full capacity. Think of this way: We want a surgeon to give their all, a firefighter, a coach, a teacher, a waiter, and when they don’t we have an issue. This exposes a cultural contradiction. Do we deserve rest? Of course. Do we need time to rejuvenate? Completely. However, my challenge would be to also ask what does balance mean for you and what do you expect from others?

Here’s my point: Balance goes beyond convenience. Whatever amount of capacity it is that you have for your day, for your thing, you should try to give it. Not because you’re required to, but because it’s what you would want in return. The day that you go to that game, or choose that restaurant, or arrive at that office, you hope that someone has put in enough time to serve you at their best.

It's okay for balance to look different for each of us. Pursuing excellence will put you at odds with protecting well-being, but it’s also up to each of us to figure out our own intentions, boundaries, and personal values.

I hope I’ve given you something to think about this week, and as always, I’m wishing you the best.