Life Should Come First in Life-Work Balance
Why do we keep using the phrase work–life balance?
Logically, life itself comes before any activity of life. This logic seems to have been broken in the work-focused culture—and we say "work–life balance."
Life–Work Balance Is Flow + Boundaries
I am an open-water swimmer. Lakes and rivers are my jam. It is hard for me to think about something more wonderful than a full, flowing, babbling stream.
It is hard for me to think of something sadder than a dried-out riverbed.
On the other hand, few things are as terrifying and destructive as floods—lakes, rivers, and seas coming out of their boundaries, water destroying all on its path.
There is tension between flow and boundaries. The balance, then, can be defined as flow + boundaries, and we can be out of balance in two ways:
1. Strong boundaries, but weak or no flow. Work is a chore, a drudgery. We resist it. We only take on things that are easy. Work does not feed our souls. Sometimes, we get in trouble for not pulling our weight. We may try taking it easy, but what we really need is the right work— work that challenges us and invigorates us, helps us develop.
2. Strong flow, but weak boundaries. We love what we do. We are passionate about our craft, the purpose of our work, or both. But sometimes we take on too much, and we can become overwhelmed. Others try to put more on our plate because we are "so good at this." Over time, doing too much—even if we enjoy it—can undermine our well-being.
Strong flow + strong boundaries support a life–work balance. A full, sparkling, safely flowing river—with strong banks.
Things to remember
- The concept of flow helps clarify why we need work—just not too much of it.
- To optimize our flow, we need strong boundaries.
How do you find balance between life and work?
#Well-being #MentalHealth #Work
@calmDew1576 life first indeed, thanks for the great reminder and tips for a healthy balance!
@Optimisticempath I'm very glad that you liked the post and found the tips useful! Self-care should always come firs. If we are not well it's even harder to manage the challenges of our everyday lives. Thank you for reading!
@calmDew1576 I agree, thankyou!
@Optimisticempath You are very welcome and I'm glad you got inspired <3
@calmDew1576
For me it's setting aside blocks of time of 'no-work' to allow me to work on myself personally or enjoy sometime with my friends. Having dedicated blocks enforces keeping a boundary between my life and work!
@sunnyWriting4806 That's a great technique and thank you for sharing! Setting boundaries can be challenging so this can be very useful at behaviorally getting used to it. Remember to take care of yourself first <3 If you are well, everything in life will be good alongside with you!