I’ll teach you to charge so much it makes your mom nervous. Hard truths gently told. Content Lab launching Sep.
Ever think to yourself, how successful people seem to have it all? The perfect life, family, friends, and influence? How do they manage the perfect work-life balance? My response—don't strive for work-life balance. Instead, focus on work-life integration. The main problem with work-life balance is that it requires you to divide up your time between 4 key roles: work, home, self and social. It's a neat theory, but in real life, it means making a lot of compromises. The late Jim Rohn wrote about this in his book. When you're at the office, you feel guilty for not being a good parent, so you leave work early. When you arrive at home, you're not fully present because you're distracted by your unfinished work. In this way, you're not being a good parent nor a productive employee. Rather than look at these four key roles as individual segments, look for how you can integrate them together. How can you bring your home to work, work to social functions, and home to self-care? This is what is meant by work-life integration. This was also brilliantly explained by ArtCenter professor Errol Gerson in one of his talks about expanding the circles to find the overlap. Curious to hear your thoughts. Is work-life balance optimal for you? Do you feel torn between two worlds? Are you neglecting your social or self-care obligations? #worklifebalance #worklifeintegration #thefuturishere #jimrohn
Work-life balance implies the need to maintain an equilibrium. A way to keep ‘everything’ happy. The idea itself makes me anxious. The alternative. Work-life integration implies that we intersect all aspects of our life. This doesn’t make me anxious. It does make me optimistic. The key to that integration is your ability to create a lifestyle of your choosing. A life where you can shift focus as per your will vs. your obligations.
that is great concept/mindset. it's 2024 objective now.
A fully integrated You is the most fulfilled, successful, actualized, and happy version of you. Thinking of self in terms of separation between the various roles you play only creates more tension in your system because the system thrives on total harmony. When our system isn't in harmony, our body gives us clues. Our relationships give us clues. Our creativity gives us clues. The best way to optimize your life in all areas is to listen intently to where you are out of alignment and focus on creating integrative harmony between all the moving parts of your life.
Personally, I LOVE this concept... But... I find a lot of times my kids don't want to hear about or care about the things I'm trying to do for business. And what if my partner doesn't care about business or doing creative things together? What if all my friends are working and I'm the only one venturing out on his own into the wilderness of Solopreneurship? It may be hard for them to relate, then I feel isolated. Believe me, I get it, it's all about being creative and dynamic, and finding ways to make it work, but it's definitely not easy. I'm not sure if you can tell this is a sore spot for me lolol. I run into this problem A LOT. Great post though. I do heart your content sir.
Great post! It's often something I struggle with. Though I find the biggest part is having a diverse group of relationships. Though I value industry friends and it's really important to have people who understand how you work. I am constantly enriched by those who don't. My friends and relationships outside work challenge and teach me many ways of thinking that I would otherwise not be exposed to. I try to take a step away from certain things. Sometimes it's a social media break (as I have over xmas). Or planning things to take me away from work for a short time, camping with a friend, walks away from my desk, etc. These are easier for me to integrate into my workflow and I find they energise my time. Though it is as you've said, a work in practice. Evolving with me. I do find if you enjoy your work, it feels empowering to integrate it into your life. Thanks Chris Do 🙃
INTEGRATION, yessss. This reminds me … I really appreciated the way Vinh Giang spoke about the ‘dark side’ of following your passion. Sometimes we can go so hard on chasing our (work) dreams that other areas of life suffer. Maintaining perspective, having frequent conversations (with self and others) is KEY. Maybe it helps to think of it all as an interconnected dance.
Chris your exploration of work-life integration versus work-life balance is thought-provoking. The distinction you've drawn adds a nuanced perspective to the ongoing conversation about navigating professional and personal commitments.
1. The more you focus on a 'lack of balance' the more it will feel like one. 2. Not everything will feel 100% all of the time. Sometimes focus is on work, sometimes it's on personal life. 3. Many people need to stop being busy, just to be busy. As said above, integrate all of the things you need to do and be intentional. Thanks for posting, Chris Do
Graphic design. Branding. Creative strategy.
1yWhich Jim Rohn book are you referencing here? I'd heard of him before but haven't read any of his books yet. (and it looks like he has a lot of good ones!)