Balance
The balance between business and life.
It’s a struggle that man (and woman) has dealt with ever since there was a perceived separation between the two. How to juggle the demands of a business and the demands of home life? How do you say no to the thing that puts a roof over your head and food on your table? How do you say no to the people that need and desire your personal attention?
For many, it’s a constant struggle to find that balance. Some never achieve it but, for those that have, the benefits are considerable. Peace of mind, sound sleep, true joy, increased focus and plentiful energy are all reported benefits of finding a balance in your life.
There also seems to be a form of synergy at work in a balanced life, where your business and personal success increase beyond what you’d expect when spending less than 100% of your time on either.
This is a point that I struggle to come to terms with.
The contradiction is, “how can my business grow and prosper if I spend less time at it, and, how can I have a happy family if I don’t spend the majority of my time with them and helping to satisfy their needs?”
Unfortunately, neither are logically satisfied with the answer of, “spend 100% of your time on neither!”
I remember a friend of mine who was always telling me to, “take a break!”
We were in business together, for a time, and he used to infuriate me by coming into my office, when I was struggling to get some problem solved (he probably heard me swearing through the door), and saying, “come-on, Loughran, we’re going for breakfast.” I’d invariably tell him to go and find some other time-waster to goof-off with, but how long could you ignore someone who just stands there staring at you, with a “you’re not going to win” grin on his face?
So we’d go, me muttering something to the effect that, “we can’t afford the wasted time”, and he jabbering on about anything but our business or my mood.
Eventually, in spite of myself, I’d start to relax and see that other things existed in the world besides my computer — have you ever noticed how green the little patch of grass looks, that someone planted outside their restaurant, when compared to the concrete and asphalt that surrounds it?
As much as those “interruptions” used to annoy me, I have to admit that, more often than not, I’d soon find a solution to my problem once we returned and I started working on it again.
Some will say, and I was one of them, that I just “happened” to find the solution at that time.В If I’d kept working at it I would have found my answer without the waste-of-time break!
Perhaps, but I believe (now) that the break, and the change in mental state that it promoted, gave me what I needed to find the fix. I’m convinced those breaks saved me much more time than I spent away from work, getting a clear head, compared to what I would have spent pulling my hair out in frustration.
I’m still one of those people who’s nature it is to fall into a problem and never climb out, but, I’ve come to recognize the trait and take a break when I need to.
I don’t recall if I ever thanked my friend for his wisdom and for caring enough to share it. Probably not — it wasn’t the most gracious time of my life.
So, Darcy, for what it’s worth, thank you.
The story I’ve told you here is about stepping briefly away from your business, but I believe it works the other way as well.
Sometimes you need to step away from your family and the situations surrounding your family life in order to see them in a different, healthier light.
If taking a break from your business can help you find a solution, don’t you think the same thing can happen with your family? Please don’t do them the disservice of thinking it can’t!
I hope that you can find a balance in your life that helps you achieve more and live happily. The articles and pages in this area of my site are dedicated to finding that balance, and to some of the things that I do to try and maintain it.
I’m considering putting a forum in place for the discussion of life balance. If you think this would be useful, helpful or simply something you’d enjoy using, please let me know.
Don
August, 2009
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