Does work-life balance exist?
I have been thinking a lot about work-life balance lately. I've done some research and here is what I think:
- Work-life balance exists.
- Work-life balance is a privilege. Even being able to work towards it is a privilege.
- It's personal. That means you need to work for it. You can't just copy-paste it from somewhere
- It's not a daily thing or it would drive me crazy if I wanted to have my work and life in balance every day. My goal is to achieve balance over 2 to 3 months.
- It has nothing to do with free-time or very limited
- People don't have a lack of worklife balance because of lack of information but because of lack of action.
- I don't like the word balance. I think integration is better.
What are your thoughts on it? Do you live a sustainable live?
Funny thing: I'm writing this post in a haste, as I have to rush and pick off the kids from school. Conflicting demands
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I have pretty good work-life balance right now. But it's something I consistently, intentionally practice.
I quit the 9-5 grind and dedicated myself to constructing a life with the balance I wanted. I work high paying contract jobs so I only have to work ~20hrs per week to support myself. And I do that while investing and working on micro-saas products so my financial stability isn't tied to any one place. I try to keep a routine that's well rounded and represents what I would like my "dream life" to look like. Even going so far as to schedule "mandatory fun time", because I noticed that it was easy for me to skip taking breaks and seeing friends if I didn't make it part of my regular routine.
So, I think work-life balance is possible. But ironically, it takes a little work to maintain. It's not so much something that just suddenly happens, more like a skill you practice.
Hey Allison! Where do you source your high paying contracts for 20 hours a week? This is something I’d love to do while indie hacking and supplement income.
Through friends and twitter. Upwork is another place I've had success finding stuff.
I’ve been concerned about the race to the bottom on Upwork. Are you able to charge good rates on there?
Not really. For me, it's about getting your foot in the door with clients. Someone who needs something small and simple done once might have more projects in the future. They'd rather turn to someone they are familiar with. When they come to you for help, you can negotiate the price up.
Once you get some good reviews under your belt, upwork will also promote you on the platform. So more people will reach out to you about their project initially, again allowing you to negotiate the price up.
I agree with you that you have to work for it and that it requires practice. Or said differently: If you have a job that you can easily do from home, certain parts of work-life balance is harder. My sisters all work in health care and don't bring work home. But then, they have no say in their work hours.
"as I have to rush and pick off the kids from school"
Looks like you have a great balance! You are able to work (post on IH) and afterward pick up the kids.
For me, work/life balance also means that I can, for example, go to the gym on Thursday morning or work on Monday night when I feel like it.
I used to work 7 days a week on my startup(s), but I just can't anymore now I'm a bit older. And at the same time, I don't get less done in a week, it feels like.
To help me reach my work/life balance, I write down the 3 things I want to do this week on Sunday evening and every work day the 3 things I want to get done today. The rest that I am able to do is a bonus. Works very well for me for quite a while
I normally don't write down 3 things I want to do. When I feel like I have too many moving pieces and not enough time & progress I write down at the beginning of every day 3 things I want to do to feel productive. That helps me mentally.
I've been seeing the 3 goals for the week statement for some time now.
Thanks for sharing this, I needed this.
Especially your statement "The rest that I am able to do is a bonus".
I've recently found myself in my indie development journey making great progress one day and the next not doing the same. It's unmaintainable. With the goal of 3 items, once I've accomplished them I'll be happy, as you said the rest will be a bonus.
I'm taking this recommendation to heart and will be tracking 3 things to tackle on a daily and weekly basis. It turns out I've already been doing this to some extent with the monthly basis. I've started to blog my monthly retrospective and at the end I write my 3 goals for the month.
thanks @timanrebel
Thanks for your feedback! :D
If you are bootstrapping you have to manage the work/work balance. Doing the work that keeps food on the table and the lights on balanced with doing the work needed to develop your product or service and find customers.
Sounds like the challenge of doing things now for the short-term (keeping lights on) and doing things now that have an uncertain future benefit (develop product...)
Those explore/exploit (or discover/deliver) trade-offs exist in multiple dimensions: let's say that I am freelancing now and developing a product in parallel (or service).
I think "work-life balance" is an ill-conceived concept.
The idea of "work" cannot exist outside of "life" itself. It's not that when I'm working I'm somehow pausing my life.
This is why it is so important (at least for me) to cultivate a smooth integration of my "work-life" and "in-between-work-life" and to make sure both parts bring me happiness and satisfaction.
But, indeed, I'm definitely in a very privileged position, since I chose my work, I was not forced by any external circumstances.
In my post, I switch between work-life balance and work-life integration. Balance sounds like there are only two things you need to balance but it's more complicated.
Article: http://mailchi.mp/33e5d06ea65d/does-work-life-balance-exist (I'm not too happy with it, I don't think it flows well...)
Oh, you write that you've just moved to Spain, super exciting!
I've just moved AWAY from Spain to restore my work-life integration :) I lasted there 2.5yrs, but in the end, couldn't take it anymore. Too many external factors interfering with my life that I had no control over.
But I wish you all the best and many happy moments there :)
:-) I told the kids that we'll be staying here for 3 years. After 2 years, we'll be evaluating. That gives us 1 year to decide where to go next. This time they get to decide (within my budget of course).
We moved away from Ireland because I felt that I was always running. It's expensive to live there.
Interesting. I definitely agree with #7 - I prefer "work life harmony" vs work life balance or integration. I've found that harmony comes with alignment with values.
I've found that even if I'm working my butt off - if what I'm doing is aligned with my long-term goals & values - then I feel energized.
And if I'm not feeling energized, then usually there is some underlying issue that I'm not properly acknowledging. Either I'm not willing or I'm not able to acknowledge.
I've personally found benefit from exec / founder coaching to help me think through these topics. And I'm exploring a start-up in this space - more to come!
Writing or talking something out is a powerful activity to uncover things. A good coach will pinpoint shortcomings in your thinking.