Work-life balance is currently out of fashion. Lifestyle design – the concept of merging work and life so that work doesn’t seem like work – is currently in.
We have the 4-Hour Workweek, the Zero Hour Workweek, and any number of thought leaders telling us that the time of the corporation is ending, the time of the passionate entrepreneur
I won’t lie; I’m in agreement with most of what these leaders are saying. There is a tremendous opportunity right now for people to carve out a career for themselves doing something they love. I’m working on this right now. And eventually, yes, I plan to be a location-independent creative professional.
But I’m not ready to quit my day job just yet. And neither, I’m willing to bet, are many of you. We read the books, feel good about the future, then discover that there are compelling reasons not to drop everything and travel the world – at least not right away.
(If you happen to be one of those people who can drop everything and live comfortably doing the things you already enjoy – more power to you!)
This is a post for the rest of us, who are pursuing our dreams, but have no intention of quitting the 9-5 yet.
Stop feeling guilty.
You’ve probably heard a lot about how there is no reason to be stuck in the 9-5 corporate culture. Gary Vaynerchuk, a man I truly admire, says exactly this.
But I disagree – in part. There is no reason to be stuck in the 9-5 culture forever (unless you happen to like that kind of structure), but there are very good reasons to stick with it for a while. Reasons like: supporting a family, employer-funded health insurance, a steady income, a feeling of stability. You may have other good reasons of your own. So stop feeling guilty about holding down an “old-fashioned” job. Guilt can only hold you back.
Yes, there are counterarguments to all the reasons I provided above. I’ve written in the past about the illusion of job security, for example. But if jumping head-first into self-employment isn’t for you, that’s okay. It’s like the stock market: some people make millions by investing in risky stocks, but there’s a reason most people do just fine with a conservative portfolio.
I’m with you.
Here’s a personal example. Right now I’m working for a small search marketing company in Austin. Am I incredibly passionate about search engines? Not at all. Do I want to be in search marketing for the rest of my life? Not at all. But I stay for several good reasons:
- I have the good fortune of working with and for a group of fun, talented, hardworking people. I happen to like the place I work – which is more than most people can say.
- My job allows me to learn how to run a business, manage people, make sales, and provide customer service – skills that will serve me for a lifetime.
- I earn a steady income and, if I’m honest with myself, I still have time to work on my dreams – which is exactly what I’ve been doing for the last 6 months.
That’s what work-life balance means to me – working a steady job to gain money and experience, while managing my time so that I can progress towards my personal goals. It’s training, preparation, practice, and pre-game warm-up rolled into one.
In other words, work-life balance is a transitional period that points the way forward to an independent lifestyle. Some people can skip the transition and go straight to being like Chris Guillebeau, but most of us aren’t built that way. We need to stop beating ourselves up over not “taking the leap” right this minute. There are other paths that take us where we want to go.
Part of the problem is a lack of good resources that focus on this transition. Too often, “pursue your dreams” books tout the benefits of breaking free, but gloss over the very real difficulties of the long road between point A and point B. There are real dangers to pursuing work-life balance, not the least of which is the risk of getting caught up in routine and delaying our dreams to death.
This year, the principle of work-life balance is one of the major themes we’ll be exploring on The Art of Great Things. Throughout the year, I’ll be sharing with you lessons, tips, and habits to help you get the most out of your job while also making the most of your time off. Stay tuned.
12 Comments on “In Defense of Work-Life Balance”
says:
Sometimes it seems as though you're reading my mind. It's not that I've been feeling guilty (well, not all the time) but I have been frustrated because I can't just up and leave my current job. It seems many others are these days (whether they want to or not). I am truly envious of those who don't saddle themselves with heavy burdens to begin with. Smart SOBs. I have debts and bills and family commitments and…. The thing is, I believe everything happens for a reason and even though I may not comprehend that reason (right now, anyway), I am right where I need to be.
My work-life balance isn't balanced so I'm looking forward to your exploration of this theme in the coming year.
Thank you, again, for letting me know I'm not alone in the world.
says:
Sometimes it seems as though you're reading my mind. It's not that I've been feeling guilty (well, not all the time) but I have been frustrated because I can't just up and leave my current job. It seems many others are these days (whether they want to or not). I am truly envious of those who don't saddle themselves with heavy burdens to begin with. Smart SOBs. I have debts and bills and family commitments and…. The thing is, I believe everything happens for a reason and even though I may not comprehend that reason (right now, anyway), I am right where I need to be.
My work-life balance isn't balanced so I'm looking forward to your exploration of this theme in the coming year.
Thank you, again, for letting me know I'm not alone in the world.
says:
Jeffrey, I agree. If only because guilt doesn't usually motivate us to anything positive.
says:
I agree with this post. I want to have a stable job until I can secure my income by other means. If I love my job, however, I can definitely just stick to it until the end. After all, working doesn't have to be bad. I think that I can pursue my goals while still having an “old-fashioned job” that allows me to learn many things I wouldn't learn otherwise. Who knows how my life will be 10 years down the road, but as long as I have a stable income, and have time to pursue my interests and keep my friendships healthy, while learning and using my brain to make an impact in society, I'll be happy with it.
says:
Jeffrey, I Iove the topic of work-life balance, so I'm glad you're taking it on. Everything you say in this post is right on the money. I did leave the 9-5 and could be location independent if I chose to be, if I wanted to live somewhere else without my husband, but how fun is that? People tend to forget that the partner of an entrepreneur might not have so much freedom. Anyway, my thing did not happen overnight. I'm very skeptical of the overnight success stories or the mantra that everyone can do it. The truth is most successful entrepreneurs stay at their jobs or work p.t. for about five years after starting their businesses. Also, the reality is that the office, like the one you work in, provides a social context and sense of community in our lives that's hard to replace when you're on your own. It's pretty easy to get isolated, and after 10 years in business for myself I do still miss it at times.
says:
Based on this article, you've got a great work-life balance right now. I'm in a similar boat, keeping the day job while pursuing my dreams, and there is a small part of me that does feel guilty for not being able to break away just yet. But, I have no intention of going broke while my dreams take shape.
My dreams are my passion, and right now, I'm satisfied to practice my passion in my spare time. But, over time, that will change.
I look forward to reading more about your ideas about work-life balance. :)
says:
I completely agree with this. I got swept away in the lifestyle design work for yourself movement, and left my corporate job to travel full time. I moved about the world, lived on practically nothing, and now am back at my corporate job :) With that said, I wouldn't trade my experience for anything . I appreciate my job more than ever right now, and things just seem more vibrant and better since returning. But rest be assured my appetite is wet for the day when I can permanently set sail, but I'm definitely in no hurry at this point.
I look forward to reading more on this throughout the year!
says:
Great post… yes, work-life balance is important and it seems the recent trend is that it's “over-rated”. Even being self-employed requires balance, especially if one has a family. Dedicating your entire life to your dream work might be fine if you are single, without partners or dependents. But if one has other things they care about, then balance is in order… I know plenty of self-employed people still striving for balance… at times now even more so than they were before. I think the idea that balance isn't a concern once a person discovers how to earn a living from their “dream work” is deceptive. “Balance” isn't alluring in the way “follow your dreams” or “pursue your passions” is… yet it's an important part of the formula if you want to be truly happy.
says:
Jeff…I've been looking for someone to put this as clearly as you have. I especially agree with your point of how having a steady job can give loads of experience and help you develop skill sets that you will need when you are ready to run your own business. Furthermore (and Gary V would second this), if you have your priorities straight there is plenty of time to have a full-time job and work on whatever else you are passionate about during the 7pm and on hours/weekend hours/slow work hours. Thanks for the post and I look forward to a more in-depth exploration of it. – flavors.me/jalexandrov
says:
I work a 8:00 – 5:00 Monday – Friday job and feel that I have complete work/life balance. In my field, working from home or other local is not an option (public education). Because I work in a technology department, I have had to deal with employees who think that they should be able to work from home. But the expectation in public education is that you show up, every day, on time, and do your work. Is there anything wrong with that? I don't think so. It is just the way we “do business” and that isn't going to change.