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What Really is Work-Life Balance?
99-SECOND READ
"Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony."
Thomas Merton
Work-life balance refers to the relationship you have with your work or career and how it synergises with the rest of your life. It's not just about how much time you spend working - it's how much time and energy you put into your personal and professional goals. How your occupation aligns with who you are and the lifestyle you want. True work-life balance means work-life harmony.
The 10 areas of life
To gain perspective, it’s helpful to remind ourselves of the key areas of life:
- Family
- Friends
- Work & career
- Health and fitness
- Finances & wealth
- Creative expression
- Physical environment
- Romantic relationships
- Personal / spiritual development
- Activities, experiences and adventures
Surprised by how many there are? Neglecting any of them?
Together they create the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual fulfilment we need to feel happy, healthy and fulfilled. These areas will have a different level of importance to each of us – depending on our individual values, desires, interests and needs - they can all be challenging, rewarding and exciting!
Work-life balance in a nutshell
A healthy work-balance allows enough time and energy for all the important areas of life. The key to lasting happiness; it means a career that fulfils you and challenges you in the right ways, aligns with who you are, what you value and the lifestyle you want.
Key considerations:
- How motivated and fulfilled you feel by work?
- How much time you have for all the important areas of life?
- When, where and how you work, who you work with and what you do?
- How does your job align with who you are and what you want from life?
- How much time and energy do you spend on personal and professional goals?
Think in terms of work-life harmony – this creates a more productive and holistic view of your life and how all the different areas, including work, fit together.
To understand how to assess your own work-life balance – find out how in my post:
Understand Your Work-Life Balance.
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Written by Simon Tomkins
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