Business
Have you read an article recently that preached work-life balance? Of course you have. It’s a hot topic today as we all struggle to manage all of the competing interests in our lives. But is “balance” the right frame to use, and having equal parts of work and life (that’s what “balance” means, after all) the right objective? We don’t think so. In the latest episode of “Boiling the Ocean”, Mike and I break down this problem to try to understand what we’re really trying to achieve. We argue that the notion of balance is almost impossible to accomplish and that a perfect equilibrium between work and life leads to less satisfying outcomes. We realized this when we observed that our happiest moments in work and life - times when we achieve “Flow” or being “in the zone” - are actually moments of intentional but temporary imbalance. Rather than balance, what we really want is the ability to be truly present in everything we do. We are seeking meaningful, uninterrupted, “all in” experiences at each end of the work/life spectrum, which will naturally cycle at different times. We make an impassioned argument that we should stop seeking balance and aim for work-life integration instead. When we have the time and space to go deep in either work or play, we are imbalanced - but that’s where we find focus, flow, and fulfillment. In the end, the goal is not “balance” in the traditional sense, its integration of those pieces. Work-life integration is more akin to a puzzle where all the different pieces fit together in aggregate. It’s an understanding that each week might bring a different combination of things to attend to at work or in your personal life, but it evens out over time into a portfolio of quality experiences. The important thing is to be as present as possible in the process. Tune in to this episode to consider rejecting the myth of balance and learn just how to integrate your work and life.