People try to find work/life balance but it’s a waste of time. The work/life definition is wrong!
I was meditating after wondering why I wasn’t feeling content even though I’ve now found that elusive work/life balance. What wasn’t right? Why did the work/life balance still not feel right? I realised I’d been overlooking something.
There are actually three key areas – not just work and life – that if balanced can create a sense of inner harmony and fulfilment (that sounds much cheesier on paper than in my head but that is genuinely right).
I was visualising the different areas of my life and how they fit together. I realised that the work category was insufficient. It’s way too broad! People could use that as an excuse to throw themselves into ‘work’ work eg employment or something like employment – but miss other work aspects of life that help bring balance and fulfilment. I know quite a few people who throw themselves into ‘work’ and I now view their life situation in a whole new light! And I’ve totally been there myself.
Three areas of life for balance and contentment
Self-care
Self-explanatory I hope – looking after yourself. Mind, body and spirit.
Life work
Maintaining your environment, spiritual work, relationships
Life sustainability
Employment, feeding yourself, housing and material needs.
There is some overlap e.g. good food is self-care and sustainability. You may find gardening relaxing so that’s self-care by doing something you enjoy but it’s also life work stuff as you’re maintaining and creating a nice environment.
By looking at life in this way you can see where you’re longing for more contentment – it’s so much easier than just striving for a work/life balance.
I’d been giving myself a hard time over the life sustainability area which was making me feel guilty for putting time aside for caring for myself. So I was using that time for life work instead – feeling like it was a substitute for life sustainability stuff – before I realised work isn’t just work.
These categories are so useful in feeling good about where you spend your time and have given me a renewed energy for finding better balance. I’m going to use them in my journal when looking back at a month and planning the month ahead.
Hopefully they can help you look at your life through a new lens and fill in any itching discontentment with life balance.
Let me know how you get on!
Love and light x
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