Show of hands, who in this room will be heading off to work at some point today after the meeting? Ok, got it.
And of those who just raised your hands, who will also be engaged in some activity or responsibility in a non-working part of your life? Family, fitness, etc.? Great, thanks.
So we’ve got our working lives, and we’ve got the other parts. Some of the most common questions I get as a Coach are around Work/Life Balance. There are a ton of people in the world – perhaps many in this room – who think that happiness will come in the form of a perfectly orchestrated dance between professional and personal.
But what if balance isn’t the answer? In fact, sometimes it’s not even a good thing. Balance is a state of neutral. It may lead to calmness. But it’s actually imbalance that creates motion, and motion is how we get things accomplished.
Perhaps rather than balance, what we’re really talking about is mindfulness or peace, which can come from an experience of control. And since we can’t control others, or sales, or margins, let’s look at what we can control – our choices.
Consider that overwhelm is a choice. I know – you’ve got a ton of evidence to explain how busy you are. So do I, believe me. I’ve got more plates spinning right now than Villeroy & Bach. And, because I’ve been at this a long time, I know better. I’m creating it this way.
Why? I’m not always sure. But probably because it protects me from the REALLY scary things. What does your busyness protect or distract you from? What are the things you would be doing if you weren’t so busy?
Think about it. Come up with two things – one you’d take on in your business, and one you’d take on in another aspect of your life. And then just do them. If you take a good honest look, you’ll see that you’re just choosing for it to go this way.
Maybe it’s traveling, or launching that new line. Maybe it’s revamping your marketing or hiring support staff so you can enjoy more downtime or scale up? Maybe it’s actually getting your well being back by getting your workouts in, or getting enough sleep?
What if you chose powerfully to create your life and business to actually get all of your needs met?
I know, scary stuff!
We all walk life’s “imbalance beam.” Ultimately, it’s less about creating a glassy, tranquil lake, and more about hanging ten on the waves of possibility.
Life goes according to how we choose it. Where are you choosing from?
