With a lot going on in my professional career lately I have been thinking about the old work – life balance a lot. I personally talk to a lot of my clients that have difficulty getting their workouts in and tell them they need to work on their work-life balance.
Those conversations got me thinking about my own work life balance. I don’t skip workouts, but I do put off other things important to me, like this blog. Hence why it has been a while since I posted something.
Dilbert has a lot of funny comic strips about work – life balance. Check out more if you get the chance.
In all seriousness it is something we need to address. I was reading somewhere that the average workweek for most is 50 hours a week. I personally know people that are putting in many more hours that that. What ever happened to the 35, 37.5 and 40 hour work weeks? And weren’t computers supposed to make life more efficient and reduce the number of hours we work?
While doing some searching on the net I stumbled upon an excerpt of a speech given by Bryan Dyson a Former CEO of Coca Cola.
There was some controversy around the entire speech and around the man that gave it but regardless, the quote below is true and should make people think about their priorities and what is important to them.
Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them – Work, Family, Health, Friends and Spirit and you’re keeping all of these in the air.
You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls – Family, Health, Friends and Spirit – are made of glass. If you drop one of these; they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for it.
Work efficiently during office hours and leave on time. Give the required time to your family, friends and have proper rest. Value has a value only if its value is valued.”
Very short but very powerful.
Nobody on their deathbed has ever said “I wish I had spent more time at the office”.
— Rabbi Harold Kushner
