Solving the work-life balance equation is one of the most difficult challenges many people face, and it is constantly changing. As time progresses the line between work and personal life seems to blur even more. New technology has created new challenges since your work can now come home with you and the time clock seemingly just keeps ticking.
Instead of having a 9-5 job, most people experience something closer to a 9-9. The 9-9 will be sprinkled in with personal time, but there is no longer a set time work stops and play begins. This can create a negative cycle of resentment towards work, and at the same time guilt toward misallocating time to one’s personal life.
Studies show that the happiest people at work tend to have a happy and balanced personal life as well. Productivity is higher from people with a good work-life balance. While workplace happiness and productivity are factors to consider while building a positive balance, there are also personal matters that will bring greater happiness than any work accomplishment could. Spending time with family and friends and building relationships are an irreplaceable joy that you can’t make up for at work.
So, the million-dollar question is how to set your priorities for a happy home life and a productive career. Over the course of the next few months, we’ll share our thoughts and discuss tactics and strategies to help you answer this question, to help you find more happiness in your everyday life. No one will have the same answer or strategy; there isn’t an algorithm to solve this problem. With proper perspective you can find the right equation for yourself. Find Balance – Create Joy
What does the next five years look like? This is a good starting point and worth pondering. Start by reflecting on the past five years, your growth personally and professionally. By taking a step back and having some personal reflection, you will immediately begin to put things into two categories, things that matter and things that don’t. Things that are likely in your ‘matter’ category will be finding someone to spend the rest of your life with, watching your kids grow up, coaching their sports team, getting your dream promotion, or taking your business to the next level of success. This moment of reflection should help you identify what you do not want to miss out on that could later bring you regret.
Another strategy is to look at the things that wouldn’t matter as much without the accompaniment of other items on your list. If you get your promotion but the new hours require you to miss every soccer game that your child plays, is it worth it? With the recent tragedies surrounding Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gigi, and other families who were lost in a helicopter crash, many of us have been reminded of just how short life can be. We never know when our last day will be. Kobe Bryant will be remembered for two big things, being a basketball player and being a father. One of those is career related and one is personal. Something to remember is that nobody will care if you retire with $5,000,000 if it means you had to sacrifice all the moments to build memories with friends, family, a spouse, and children along the way. No amount of money can make up for being divorced and having a bad relationship with your kids. That extra shift to have a bigger paycheck this month is not worth missing your son or daughters’ music recital or birthday party. A hyper-focus on earning that extra dollar can lead to disappointment and regret. Find Balance – Create Joy
Join us over the next few months for our new series focusing on financial and personal balance. Learn how to prioritize, reflect, gain happiness, find some balance in your life, and keep perspective on what really matters!