As we work towards living a life of joy, presence and calm, we often find ourselves on a quest for balance.
We seek equilibrium in our work and personal lives, striving to minimise stress and maintain a constant state of serenity.
But what I have discovered in this journey of seeking balance myself, and helping others with the same goal, is work-life balance doesn't actually exist.
The fact is, it is harmony we seek.
It's also essential to recognise that balance doesn't eliminate stress altogether. In fact, there's a significant difference between the kind of stress that drains us and the kind that propels us forward.
Join me as we delve into the intriguing world of life's dynamic equilibrium and learn why, when embraced and understood, a healthy dose of stress can become a vital catalyst for personal growth and fulfilment.
Work-life balance myth
What I have come to understand during the time I have spent going deep on balance and how we define it on our terms is that we all have very different needs from balance, but we all look for a similar outcome.
Harmony and presence.
If these two words describe how you would like to feel in the day to day, then I want you to challenge your thinking around balance, what it looks like for you and to consider the life stage you are at.
If you think you need to understand more about balance and the work-life balance myths we are led to believe, I encourage you to read all the other information I have about balance including:
You don’t have to turn into a circus juggler to find balance
Balance doesn’t mean equal attention is required in all domains of your life
Now, let me ask you this. Are you chasing balance in the hope that it will eliminate all of your stress?
Have you ever considered that some stress is actually healthy and a great motivator to progress your dreams?
The last myth will help you with the misconceptions around stress and balance.
Work-Life Balance Myth #10: Balance Eliminates Stress
Myth! Here is the reality.
While balance can reduce stress, it doesn't eliminate it entirely.
Stress is a natural part of life, and the pursuit of complete stress elimination can be unrealistic and actually make you more stressed.
Prioritising activities that calm the brain and the body like mindfulness, yoga or a walk in nature support us in managing our stress levels and recharging our batteries.
Leaving only the healthy stress on the table.
The one that motivates you to show up in life as the human you want to be.
I also encourage you towatch this video I did about stress and balance to get a deeper understanding.
Work-life balance journal prompt
Based on this new perspective I invite you to reflect and journal on the following question:
Take a piece of paper and a pen and write it down.
Final thoughts
The key points from this article include:
If you’d like to go deeper into dispelling the myths about balance that you can inject more of what makes you feel grounded each day, listen to episode 105 of The Hacking Happy Podcast.
Or, maybe it is time to show yourself some self-compassion when it comes to chasing that elusive work-life balance.
Download via the linkhere, my FREE Self Compassion tool to help you be kinder to yourself when you feel like you’re falling short on the balance front.
Perhaps consider ditching the word from your vocabulary and instead embrace the power of harmony.
