Work life balance. We all have to carry out some kind of work in order to survive. Whilst for the majority of us that would be defined as doing something in return for an income, it’s fair to say that those who don’t go to work in the traditional sense quite possibly are working harder then those who do. We do that because we have a bigger dream to achieve a better work life balance in the long run.
When I started this article I was thinking about how I’ve come away to my mum’s for a couple of days for a break. Of course, the fact that I am writing means I am not having a break! I am an author with an over active brain which wakes me up at 3am with an idea which I must write down, and whilst I am able to adjust to my working clock, my brain has now gone off on a tangent to write about what exactly work is to each of us.
Let us compare to the older generation in the Mediterranean, there are many people approaching 100 years of age and whilst we may look through rose coloured glasses and imagine the lifestyle which appears on the surface to be perfect, we don’t look deeper into the work that they have endured. In all honesty their tenacity and endurance is probably the key to their survival. Picking olives at 85 is perhaps a necessity to survive rather than a joyful experience!
It is fair to say that those who appear to have a happy life have in fact worked hard throughout their whole lives.
Now take the entrepreneur. Do you really think that they just travel the world and enjoy life, working only 4 hours a week? Of course not, they have tried and failed numerous times, had many sleepless nights and very likely years of living on the bread line; but they didn’t give up. They had belief and determination and were prepared to make sacrifices.
Then we have those who follow the expected path, 9-5 working to line their employers pocket. There is of course nothing wrong with that but my question to you is where do you see yourself fitting in this picture? Is it where you really want to be or would a better work life balance bring you more happiness?
There are things which prevent people from following their dreams, fear of success, fear of change or perhaps just the inability to see a clear path towards change when their income is relied upon to support a family.
The reality is that you need to work whether it be for an employer, for yourself or as a self sufficient person growing your own food. The good thing is that you do have a choice. Just like the butterfly seen above, if you take time to nourish yourself and rest you can flourish into something more akin to a balance life. Working yourself to the bone is not the answer, but hard work and self-care are certainly likely to get you closer to your goal.
The question is, are you prepared to take the steps which will take you closer to the person you long to be or are you satisfied with staying as you are now?
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this so please pop your comments below or even email me at emma@livinglavidalola.com.
I am taking the steps to create the life I desire for Lola and I, are you ready to follow us and create your own journey and achieve a better work life balance yourself?
