For years, people have been striving to achieve work-life balance, avoiding burnout, but so many of us are disappointed in trying to attain that perfect balance.
Work-life balance suggests that one’s life is a neatly divisible pie, which can be easily split into various parts to fit the roles one plays. Life, however, isn’t like that. It is in constant flux, forever changing moving forward.
So instead of working hard to split the various roles you play by cutting them apart, enjoy work-life harmony instead. Work and life are like layers on top of each other with varying levels of importance, changing often, sometimes on a daily basis. What is important for you today may not be so tomorrow. Your priorities will be different when you are young, different when you are single, different when married and very different when you have kids.
You may also try to plan each day meticulously so that one part doesn’t interfere with another but what you may forget to take into account are the interferences and disturbances that crop up throwing everything off-balance.
Forget about balance for a while and instead ensure that wherever you are and whatever role you are playing, you are fully present in the same. That way you can give full justice to your work and your personal life. In the bargain, both are well nurtured and taken care of, helping you keep your sanity and living a fulfilled, happy and content life.
When you are striving to strike a balance between the various roles, there is a constant tug of war for attention and priority. However, when you realise that you do not have to choose one over the other but instead give them both importance at different times, it makes life much simpler.
Focus on harmonising your life with work-life harmony by giving every aspect of it the respect it deserves. There will be times when you feel lost or guilty for giving one more time than the other, accept the situation rather than fight it and feel the peace transcend over you. Acceptance is the first step in achieving your goal of a work-life harmony. Fighting it will only cause despair.
Celebrate the overlap of the various roles in your life rather than trying to force them apart, and lead a happier more peaceful existence.
Ruchi is an Associate Certified Coach certified by the International Coach Federation focusing on Executive Coaching, Self / Professional Development and Career Coaching with Leadership Development.
You will find more information on her website www.ruchiparekh.com
