Work, Family, Health, Friends, Integrity

People are discussing whether the concept of “work-life balance” is disappearing. It is noted that the phrasing points to a dichotomy: more of one will mean less of other other. So far so good. I could agree with something more broad and that doesn’t look like a set of scales.

In further discussion, it is then pointed out that for some, work and life is blended – that’s where they lose me. Indeed, many people have essentially sacrificed their non-work time to work. They check and reply to emails, take phone calls from their boss, and more. I reckon that’s daft.

I believe it’s actually very disrespectful for a company (managers) to work in that way. It’s also unwise, as they’ll be straining their employees which ultimately hurts everybody as well as business.

“Work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back.
The other four balls– family, health, friends, integrity– are made of glass. If you drop one of these, it will be irrevocably scuffed, nicked, perhaps even shattered.”

Gary Keller

It is not often I agree with real-estate salesman!

The analogy is interesting – it makes it look like a juggling act, and that’s often what it feels like. Pretty good!

I think we can agree that finding (or creating!) a new job is easier than restoring damaged health or recovering messed up family life. They’re all hard (some would say impossible), but there are degrees.

If you really had to choose to drop one of these aspects to save others, which would you pick? (and why)