Which is your glass ball: The illusion of work life balance

How many times have you heard someone complain about how much work has consumed their lives and how little time they have for anything else? Quite often I suppose.

After reading several articles written on this subject matter one thing stands out; work life balance is an illusion. The issue of Work life balance has been a subject of concern for many years to individuals,  organizations and even countries as a whole; and that is yet to change. As the advent of technology has not made it any easier

Work life balance suggests that an equal portion of your time, be apportioned to every domain of your life. Which is downright impossible as these different domains weigh differently relative to their priorities to in your life.

In the true sense of it, your work is an essential part of your life ;whether you're running  your own business or as an employee in an organization ; and to a large extent we are defined by our works regardless of what profession we practice or passion we are in pursuit of.

The ideology of work life balance seeks to separate work from life.
So many people have come up with various theories & formulas on how to "balance"these various domains;  but I must establish that there is no hard and fast rule to achieving this.
The only solution is for each individual to seek ways to blend /harmonize the various spheres in our lives.

First you need to identify which domain is of most importance to you. Naturally that domain will likely be apportioned the largest portion of of your time and whatever comes next on your priority list in queued up

I'm not here to tell you how  to live or harmonize your life. That's a personal race for each and every one of us & more often than not, the way we live our life is a reflection of what or who is most important to us.

For example, what's important for an individual who is just climbing the career ladder differs from what's important for another who has gone mid way.
 Permit me to cite a personal example. When my husband secured a job with a multinational,  he was so busy that every other person and every other thing had to retrofit into his life.
It was a nightmare that begun to take its toll on our relationship,  his relationship with the children, his health , and even with other family members.  After a lot introspective thinking he decided to reharmonise his life. He started doing more of his reports at home, he took me to a number of official functions,  he took more interest in what was happening in his children's life and many other minor adjustments.

Now did he create a balance?  Not at all. Did he create a more harmonious blend?  He certainly did. My husband's work still consumes the largest portion of his time. But do we (his family ) still feel left out?  No.

For me there no such thing as work life balance.  I have a job with 2 kids, a husband and a home to manage ; and neither one is dispensable right now. I consider myself a juggler with balls representing the various domains of my life.

Of all the balls I'm juggling, work is a rubber ball. If it drops, it would bounce back up . My family on the other hand is a glass ball I can't afford to drop because once it shatters there's no going back.

Seek the harmony that most pleasing to you.
Identify which is your glass ball(s) & when you do, try not to drop it/them.

I leave you in the words of  Nigel Marsh, author of Fat, Forty, and Fired

" It’s up to us as individuals to take control and responsibility for the types of lives that we want to lead. If you don’t design your life, then someone else may just design it for you, and you may not like their idea of balance.”


In what ways have you tried to harmonize the spheres of your life? Do share.


Eyitemi Adebowale
Instagram : @eyitemiadebowale
Twitter: @Eyitemi611
BBM :  5668E734
Google+: Eyitemi Adebowale