I’ve been thinking about the balance between work and home life. These days it seems as though everyone’s got a side hustle, and a lot of people want that side hustle they’ve got to someday be their fulltime job. When you’re working a “typical” job on top of the business you’re building for yourself, sacrifices are made. Whether it be waking up extra early to get work done before going into your other job or getting home from work just to get right back to work, life becomes more about reaching goals than living a sustainable life for yourself. Is it “unbalanced” to live like that? Long term, I’d have to argue that yeah, it is. Though most people aren’t living like they drink their morning latte with two shots of burning determination without having the goal of quitting that 9-5 and living their dream, doing what they love full time.
I’m a firm believer in that everybody has their own limits, and one person’s balance could be another person’s burnout. That’s one reason I find the “Always working” “No rest” “I’ll sleep when I’m done” mastermind, motivational speaker trend dangerous. It’s okay to not respond to emails/messages on the weekend. It’s okay to stop working, pour yourself a glass of wine, and watch Netflix to wind down for the night! Just because you do what you love for a living doesn’t mean you don’t still get to set boundaries around your work and personal life. That being said, with social media and sharing your life playing a big role for many millennial/Gen Z entrepreneurs, it can be hard to decipher what is work and what is personal life. I think that’s something you get to decide for yourself through trial and error. Learn your boundaries and limits and live by them. I know, easier said than done!
The phrase “Love what you do, and you’ll never work a day in your life,” I find it misleading. I love my job. In fact, it’s an absolute dream come true, but I work really dang hard. I work hard, and I have limits. You can love and be grateful while still admitting that it’s work, and sometimes you need a break from it. All in all, I believe that work/home life balance is so individualized. Depending on the person, time of the year, project, etc. balance looks different for everyone. If I had to give a top 3 tips for finding your balance, they would be, evaluate your priorities, manage your time wisely/have structure (work smarter instead of longer), and focus on your balance and what works for you. What others are doing is their own business.
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