I’m 10 hours into my 13-hour flight from Singapore to London. I’ve realised just how much of a geek I am… I’ve been loving my long-haul flights recently haha. Seriously, I think I’m at my most productive when I’m on a plane.
I figured now would be a good time to write a little about the whole work/life balance thing. Because it’s something we hear about a lot huh? I must have seen at least ten books on it whilst browsing through airport bookstores in the last 24 hours.
But here’s my take on it. I think work/life balance is a hoax. Well, let me rephrase that… work/life balance for entrepreneurs is a hoax. When you work for yourself (and when you love what you do), it’s near on impossible to totally switch off. Sure, you can take time out to do the stuff you love, but your business will always be on the radar.
So I want to offer up another solution. Something, that (hopefully) will feel a bit more achievable. Work/life blend. Learning to maintain your sense of hustle & drive whilst not become a slave to your desk (or laptop).
I’ve just spent the last 10 days in Bali. Here’s how most people spend 10 days in Bali: They kick back by the pool. They go visit stuff. They go out to eat. They surf. They hang out with friends. They relax.
And here’s what’s interesting… I did all that stuff. But I also worked my ass off. I worked with clients most days. I surfed when the tide was right and worked when the wind got up. I still got to go exploring, I just took my laptop with me and checked into a co-working space to get a few hours work done. It turns out that work/life blend is waaaay easier than work life/balance.
And here’s a bonus of work/life blend when you’re on the road: You get to experience a place in a different way. You slot into ‘living’ in a place rather than being on holiday. Before you know it, you’ve got favourite lunch spots and a preferred route to the surf. You end up meeting other entrepreneurs & start-ups who are doing the same thing. You spot them pretty quickly, kicking back in the corner of the cafe with their laptop, looking focused but at the same time, super relaxed (an epic combo).
Work/life balance means you have to switch from one mode to another. Work/life balance means you feel guilty thinking about surfing when you should be working, and vice versa. Work/life balance kinda assumes that one is fun and the other isn’t. And work/life balance starts to feel a little judgmental (with a whole load of ‘shoulds’ showing up).
Work/life blend, however, feels easy. I have no issue with shifting my workload around to fit the tides, or so I go explore a new place. And equally, I don’t have a problem going to bed early so I can wake up at 5.30am to speak with a client. The word that comes up for me when I think of work-life blend is flow. Because that’s how it feels.
So yeah, some people may look at me and think I’m working 24/7. And others may think I’m always on holiday. Depends on your perspective.
And I guess that’s what I’m getting at. Recognising that you get to decide how you look at it. You can choose to take on the frustrating (and seemingly impossible) task of balancing your work and life. Or you can let it go, and be ok with the fact that for you, it looks more like a work/life blend.
I’m curious… what does it look like for you? Are you desperately trying to balance it all out? Or are you starting to realise it was all a myth in the first place?