Should We Strive for a Work Life Balance? An In Depth Preceptive

When we talk about balancing work and life, we believe they are at odds – that one comes at the expense of the other. And we must find that elusive balance in some way.

Is that correct? Is there some nice and cuddly ‘win-win’ solution that will make work feel like it’s not work and will automatically sort out our lives?

First, the bad news: That ‘win-win’ scenario is not going to materialise for the majority of us.

Most professions are difficult and require a lot of energy. But, while there is no such thing as perfect work, there are certain things we can do to make our professions more meaningful.

Here’s how we should approach the situation.

1. Have Strict Boundaries

While I cannot tell you how many hours you should work, consider the following statistics.

People who labour with tremendous intensity (for example, experienced musicians practising on a daily basis) are completely exhausted after 4-5 hours of rehearsal. They frequently require a pause, and some even require a nap to recharge.

As a result, the human capacity for concentrated focus is restricted to 4-5 hours per day. That’s all. Does this mean we can’t work more than 5 hours a day? Not at all.

Remember, I’m talking about acute focus. In fact, it is likely that 90% of people do not have the opportunity to conduct 1 hour of focused work per day.

Many of our regular tasks demand significantly less concentration, such as phone calls, emails, brief conversations with co-workers, and so on. As a result, 8 hours is doable, and 10 hours is possible. However, I feel it becomes counter-productive after 12 hours or so. Daily tiredness will set in at that time, sapping creativity and spirit.

So I’d say 8-10 hours is a decent maximum, with no more than 12 hours per day.

2. Creating Flow at Work

We must consider more than just the number of hours worked. We must also consider finding joy at work. And establishing ‘flow’ makes this feasible.

Flow is a mental state in which you become so immersed in your activity that you lose track of everything else, including time. It is a meditative state in which the mind’s default mode network calms and all distractions fade away. You become one with your task (I know that sounds metaphysical, but it happens!)

It would be amazing if we could find even 1-2 hours of flow every day. It will offer our lives significance and joy (assuming we don’t despise our jobs).

So think beyond the number of hours and consider how you may incorporate flow.

3. Existence in the ‘Here and Now‘

What hurts us more than the work-life balance is our inability to psychologically escape from work.

We can never find balance if we are psychologically distracted or worried about work during our non-work time, no matter how much or how little we have to work.

Here are a few Effective Techniques:

– Brain dump: Write down your anxieties on a piece of paper and tell yourself that you will deal with them later. If anything is upsetting you, set a day and time to work on it.

– Journaling: Unlike brain dumps, journaling allows you to be more detailed – write in a stream-of-consciousness style, allowing your thoughts to flow.

– Try mindfulness of breath as a short meditation (any other technique is fine as well).

4. Take a Break and Recharge

Take a break from work every few months (at least once a year). There will be no email, phone calls, or work interactions. Allow yourself to truly relax and refresh. The interval does not have to be extensive; perhaps 4-5 days are sufficient.

Taking breaks is an important aspect of achieving equilibrium.

5. Unpopular Advice: Quit Poisonous Jobs

While all jobs are difficult, poisonous work produces trauma, diminishes your spirit, and reduces your morale. It is possible that coworkers be uncaring, selfish, or harmful. It’s also possible that the employment is unethical or pointless.

There can be no work-life balance if your job drains your emotional vitality. Find alternatives, and then quit when you’re ready.

I’m not going to give you advice on developing hobbies, discovering passions outside of work, and so on because those are all true and obvious.

In conclusion, as the Buddha advised, take the middle way. Don’t go too far either way. Instil fluidity and conscious presence as well.