We’ve all heard about the struggle to find a work life balance in our lives. Many people now believe that such an idea doesn’t exist. The traditional 40 hour work week no longer happens for most people. We can try to blame this on technology and the rise of smartphones, which makes it easier to check email and work from home. But the real blame should be placed on the accepted perception that you always need to be working harder and doing more. In times of economic hardship, it’s easy to rationalize this attitude. People who are lucky enough to have their jobs want to do everything in their power to keep them, which in turn makes them more willing to work later hours and on the weekends. Once these new attitudes become the norm, it’s very difficult to cut back on what you’re willing to do during times of economic prosperity.
As a society, we believe that a work life balance is something that we can’t achieve. Most people acknowledge that the time they devote to work, often is time they would rather spend with their family, friends, or having “me time.” Rather than a work-life balance, try striving to create a work-life fit.
Cali Yost, author and CEO of the Flex+Strategy Group, introduced the idea of a work-life fit to “find the fit that’s right for you which will allow you to be in control.” Work-life balance is an idea that puts work and the rest of life against each other, making it seem as if there’s no way to enjoy work without it taking away from your life. Work-life fit is a practical approach that lets the individual person allocate their time the way they wish to spend it. It’s all about defining and establishing goals, and then asking yourself if your activities and time aligns itself with your goals. Finding a work-life fit is not a one time thing. It should be re-evaluated on a regular basis, since as time goes on your goals and objectives for life will most certainly change.
Are you ready to try and find your work-life fit?