A Publication of WTVP

There is a great deal of conversation today about “work-life balance.” Some people feel that they can judge the choices others make for themselves regarding working, staying home to raise a family or doing both. Regardless of your family and career choices, everyone needs balance. But does anyone really know what work-life balance is or how to get it? Better yet, can anyone judge when work-life balance has been achieved? What are the signs or symptoms of a life in balance?

There is a great deal of conversation today about “work-life balance.” Some people feel that they can judge the choices others make for themselves regarding working, staying home to raise a family or doing both. Regardless of your family and career choices, everyone needs balance. But does anyone really know what work-life balance is or how to get it? Better yet, can anyone judge when work-life balance has been achieved? What are the signs or symptoms of a life in balance? I do not claim to have all the answers, but here is what I have found to be helpful in the past.

Life balance refers to the state of an individual’s existence when resources outnumber demands—and it can happen! Below are a few of the components of a balanced life:

Just as learning to balance on two wheels when riding a bicycle takes practice, so does learning to balance all the wishes, dreams and demands we are faced with on a daily basis. Some things which need our attention can be decided by our own careful thought, such as having a family and meeting the demands of parenting or earning a living outside the home. Other demands which can make withdrawals from our resource bank are not our choice, such as a long, stressful commute or irritating co-workers. Whether we have chosen the situation which depletes our resources or not, it is necessary to continually make deposits into our bank and invest in ourselves.

Achieving a life in balance starts with knowing what it is that nourishes us, and making a commitment that we will value ourselves as much as we value others—easy to say, much harder to do. In presentations I have given on this topic, I talk about an internal directional system I believe we all have. I call that system True North.

For me, True North is a combination of beliefs, values and standards I use to make decisions and live my life the best way I can. This way of approaching life has evolved over time, and it began when I found a philosophy which really resonated with me. I share it here with you because I think it has value, and because it seems we sometimes need permission to treat ourselves well. The approach I found years ago is called The Four Pillars of Vitality and can be viewed at www.itstime.com/print/sep97p.htm:

Many people living lives out of balance say that from early adulthood, their paths seemed determined. They graduated from high school and went to college or entered the workforce, moved up in their chosen career, married, had a family and take two weeks of vacation every year. There are numerous expectations placed on us by many sources, including our parents, teachers and society. We join the “rat race” early and stay in it as long as we can. We sometimes seem more focused on engaging in a “balancing act” than in keeping our lives balanced, and this is what leads to trouble.

As with any financial account, there are a finite number of life’s demands we can respond to without requiring additional resources. In the financial world, when we do not have enough money to cover a demand, the institution overseeing our account usually charges us a fee. It will then take even more of our resources to get us back to a balanced state. Experience has taught us the devastating effects which occur when life demands more than we have to give—high blood pressure, heart disease, ulcers and addiction are all symptoms of a life out of balance. Combating these issues takes a tremendous amount of energy and resources, and it will not be a quick journey back to a balanced state. Financial advisors encourage their clients to have substantial resources put away in case something catastrophic occurs. How will you be equipped to respond when life sends a bill—“balance due upon receipt?” TPW

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