John Rampton* says there are many misconceptions about the concept of achieving a work–life balance.
Work–life balance is all the rage these days.
Unfortunately, it seems that most of what we have been told is a lie.
Here are 10 myths regarding work–life balance that are stressing you out and setting you up for failure.
- It’s actually about achieving balance.
This is the biggest misconception.
The hard truth is that balance doesn’t exist.
No matter how hard you try, there will be times when work bleeds into your personal life and vice versa.
Just because you clock out for the day doesn’t mean that you’re 100 per cent free from work.
If balance doesn’t exist, then what’s the solution?
For Meeta Vengapally, founder and CEO of Garnysh, it’s integration.
Integration is needed because “it’s about not separating the compartments of your life, but rather thinking of them in terms of the whole.”
For example, when you’re at your child’s soccer game, you can have a quick work call.
If you have to run errands for work, ask for a friend who wants to tag along.
Another option is to take the Jeff Bezos approach.
“I think work–life harmony is a good framework,” Bezos told Thrive Global.
“I prefer the word ‘harmony’ to the word ‘balance’ because balance tends to imply a strict tradeoff.”
If you’re happy outside work, then you’ll be more productive and energised in the workplace.
And, if you’re fulfilled with your work, then you’re more content at home.
- Life needs to be compartmentalised.
Another myth is that we need to compartmentalise life.
This longstanding mentality is that we should spend eight hours at work, sleep for another eight, and set aside eight hours for leisure and social activities.
The thing is that it’s not possible to evenly divide your time like this.
Instead of forcing yourself to compartmentalise your life, devote the right amount of time on your current priorities.
- You can have it all.
Even if you have created a schedule that allows you to exercise, spend time with your inner circle and get all of your work done, you’re still making a sacrifice somewhere.
Don’t fall for the trap that you can have it all or do everything you want.
Sometimes you have to give certain things up while pursuing your goals and dreams.
The sooner you realise this, the faster you’ll be able to cut the unnecessary out from your life until you’ve reached your goal.
- Time management is the answer.
I’m all for time management, but it’s an outdated concept.
Most of the time management techniques we put on a pedestal were created before we were connected 24/7.
To counter this, you have to be selective with how you spend your time.
That means spending your energy on the right actions at the right time.
- Technology will give you more free time.
Automation has definitely made life much more comfortable.
However, it won’t magically add more hours to your day.
Technology is an assist.
But, it’s not going to do everything for you.
You still need to put in a little effort.
- It’s what employees care about most.
While employees enjoy flexibility, it’s not always at the top of their list.
Most want meaningful work.
Additionally, they crave recognition and want to work for an empathetic culture.
Again, balance is essential for your team.
But, making sure that your team knows how they fit into the larger picture, are acknowledged for their hard work and understanding their needs trumps balance.
- The early bird catches the worm.
The idea is that if you’re up bright and early, you have more time to get things done.
As a result, you’ll have more time to enjoy the fruits of your labour.
But that doesn’t work for everyone.
Some people are more productive at night.
Also, you’re adding more work hours to your day.
That’s not terrible when there’s a deadline or a fire to put out.
But, that’s not good for the long-term because you’re going to burn yourself out.
The key is to work around your productivity peaks.
- You never have to work during off-hours.
Having a fulfilled life doesn’t mean always sticking to strict boundaries.
If you’re in the zone and want to work, go ahead.
And, when there’s nothing you would rather do than play board games with your family, then don’t feel guilty about tuning out work during that moment.
- The less you work, the happier you’ll be.
Just because you’re able to crank out all of your work in 20 hours doesn’t mean that you’ll be happy.
It’s not about how many hours you work or do something you love.
It’s about the quality of how you’re spending your time.
- Everything has to be scheduled.
It’s unrealistic to schedule your entire life and adds more stress.
And, it’s been found that people are happier when leisure activities happen spontaneously.
So, while you should use your calendar to keep your life organised, don’t overdo it.
Leave blank spaces so that you can grab coffee with a friend or sit back and process your day.
* John Rampton is an entrepreneur, connector and founder of @Calendar. He tweets at @johnrampton.
This article first appeared at www.entrepreneur.com.
