Misconceptions start from very description of popular term “Work-Life balance”. Work is actually part of life. The mistake is to treat Work and Life (i.e. personal life) as 2 separate entities and then, talk of balancing.
Most successful people have lot of work, less of free time; but they are mostly healthy and rarely talk of missing on work-life balance. Why? They might be auto-balancing, which very few can see!
Misconceptions galore
- Treating Work and Life as 2 separate compartments.
These are actually 2 aspects of one Whole – Life; or you can say 2 sides of same coin. - Assumption that how and what you do in your personal life would not impact professional life or vice versa is wholly misplaced.
- Exaggerated notions
- Dedication at work means over-working.
- Ownership inevitably means stress and worry.
- Getting fatigued and tired is alright, week-end is there to recharge.
- At last, I have time for my family.
- Oh! Now that I am retired from work, I can do what I always wanted to do.
4. Split behavior
- Hands-on at work, hands-off at home
- Bull at work, bear at home or vice versa
- Involved at work, indulge at home
- Conscious at work, crazy at home
- Pressure at work, release at home
These misconceptions also bring you morning or Monday blues.
Drawing a parallel
What you do in personal life, are directly relevant to your professional life. Look at these parallels:
- Correct way of treating employees is how you treat your family – respectful and reasonable, considerate and caring.
- Best example of ownership on your team or project is how you parent (especially a mother) your children.
- Your loyalty to Company should be no less than your loyalty to Spouse.
- You can’t do without courage and calm to manage a conflict at work and that’s what you need also at home.
- What drives you for decisions on your personal investments should also drive you for business decisions at work.
What can auto-balance your “Work-Life”
- Believe that work is never a burden or liability. It is meant to be enjoyed as much as you enjoy while at home or holidays.
At one stroke, you would develop your dedication, dynamism and diligence. - What you like to do, do not postpone it to another day. Find a way to do little of all what you like or have to; but incrementally and without compromising your duties.
If you have a desire to find a way, you would surely get it! Our dogma – we do not believe this works. Factually, it does!! - If you want to be a horse of long race, you ought to be healthy and happy.
- Forget that “over work or excess stress” can be off-set by “over rest or excess relaxation”. Both are bad!
- Eliminate 2 Big blunders, most commit – to ignore “qualitative development of self” and “securing future”.
On Qualitative Development, you normally think –
- It is a separate subject.
- It would happen, as you gain experience.
- It would come, when you get training.
- It is not meaningful to your work and meaningless for your vacation.
Human race is most fortunate to learn what is good and what is not, what is right and wrong, from childhood through academia to now. Hence, you know these already! Experience would only consolidate, training would polish and some medium would help you to change for better.
Make it integral to your work and life and drive your qualitative development.
Securing Future is the best “stress relieving dose” – - When you earn, you spend and when you spend, think to save.
- Save and invest to secure your/family’s future. Many think it is not importance today; they regret tomorrow.
Here is “What You Should Do”
- Set your definition right on “Work-Life balance”.
- See the parallels in Professional and Personal life.
- Seek joy in everything you do and blend it with qualitative aspects.
- Stop over-doings in name of passion or vacation.
- Slice your time, when you are not sleeping, into –
40 to 45% at Work
40 to 45% not at Work (for family, socializing, travel…)
10 to 20% for your health, self-development and securing future.
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