Work-Life Balance Myth: Balance means I can get everything done

Have you ever felt yourself saying this? “Once I have finished XYZ then I can do something for myself?”. 

Don’t worry, you are not alone. A lot of women find they put themselves on the bottom of the to-do list because they prioritise the needs of everyone else first. 

But as we learn on aeroplanes we must put our own oxygen on before we help others. 

This article is here to question your definition of balance and how you can view it from a different lens. 

Work-life balance opinion 

Here’s an unpopular view - work-life balance is bullshit. 

Have you ever wondered why so many of us are striving to attain it, yet the harder we try the more elusive it becomes and the more exhausted we feel? 

We need to change the narrative away from work-life balance and towards a practice of micro-moments of rest, recharge and harmony in the day before us. 

This is the reason why you will see me continuing to dispel the myths of balance in this article and other articles I have done and now I want you to think:  

1. Balance isn’t a destination, it is a way of being
2. Balance doesn’t mean self-sacrifice 
3. Balance doesn’t mean everything existing in equilibrium  
4. Balance is not a one-size-fits-all equation 
5. Finding balance doesn’t have to be done alone 

Now, the next one aims to change your thinking about the to-do list and how you don’t need to “do it all”. 

Work-Life Balance Myth #6: Balance means I can get everything done on my to-do list and then have time for me! 

Myth! Here is the reality. 

Known as the planning fallacy, our optimism bias means that we often underestimate the time and effort required to complete tasks because we tend to focus on the best-case scenario.

We imagine things going smoothly and without interruptions, which rarely happens in real life.

Work-life balance questions 

Based on this new perspective I invite you to reflect and journal on the following question:

• How has my perception of time and how I use it changed based on this learning that I don’t need to tick everything off my list in order to do more for myself?

Take a piece of paper and a pen and write it down. 

Final thoughts 

The key points from this article include: 

• Unpopular opinion about balance 
• The #6 of #10 myth of balance 
• A work-life balance question  

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, join the Balance Challenge kicking off October 16, 2024. This is a unique opportunity to reframe your relationship with balance and unlock sacred pockets of time that empower you to show up as the woman you long to be.

Think sustainable evidence-based action delivered to you in bite-sized pieces to reduce the overwhelm and unlock a more balanced you.

 For all the details and to secure your spot click HERE.