In a fit of desperation or inspiration, I closed all tabs, windows and programs on my laptop Wednesday night. The tasks and to-do’s associated with work kept creeping into my view. Everything needed to go away. I retreated to a place I love on the web, TED, and listened to Nigel Marsh speak on the topic of WLB: Work-Life-Balance.
The line between work and pleasure may be blurred for a blessed few, but for most of us, working more hours only leads to a deficit in other areas of life. I do not want to work, work, work and finally “enjoy” life when I hit an age of retirement. Life is for living – EVERY moment. With each passing year, I realize the impetus of owning the time that belongs to you right now. Do not wait for “someday” or retirement.
Nigel’s Gems:
A day is too short. After I retire is too long.
There are thousands of people out there, living in quiet, screaming desperation – they work long, hard hours at jobs they hate to buy things they don’t need to impress people they don’t like.
Design your life or someone else will design it for you. You may not like their idea of balance. Never put the quality of your life in someone else’s hands.
Companies are designed to get as much out of you as they can… set and enforce boundaries we want in our life.
Nigel encourages the audience to write down their ideal, perfect day for the day-to-day business of life. Take some time, think about your day and what you want. Write it down and try to live it, one day at a time.
One of the most daunting conversations I’ve had to date was making my case for becoming a telecommute employee. My company at the time had a “9-5″, “work is performed in the office every day” mentality. I remember my heart beating in my throat and sweating nervously walking into the room filled with my project leaders to make the case to pursue happiness and follow my heart. What would need to happen in your life to shift from a work-centric to a work-life-balance-centric life? For fun, share your “perfect day” in comments below!
EXTRA LOVE: Inspirational links on Work-Life-Balance
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