Work / Life Balance

Show Notes:

 

• [0:00:00] Intro | Brief Recap

 

• A Look Back on ‘Humanizing Your Team’
• Final Part of the Series on Distributed/Remote Work

 

• [0:02:50] Work/Life Balance vs Work/Life Integration

 

• “Work/Life Balance is a Scam”?
• When we think about work/life balance, we tend to think of it as: 
• • “I go to work to provide for the life I want to live, and I’m trying to intentionally keep those two things separate.”
  • • We argue that what we’re looking for is not necessarily “Work/Life Balance”, but rather Work/Life Integration.
• Instead of segmenting your life into work, play, downtime, etc.-- it’s the complete package we should embrace. 
• • A huge part of this integration is catalyzed in being happy with your work and feeling fulfilled with what your work asks of you from a creative and productive standpoint.
  • This integration will naturally look different for everyone. 
  • Does your life need separation from your workplace, coworkers, and to-dos? 
  • • Or is it that your work just needs to better align with your non-work activities, responsibilities, and needs?
• Work/Life Balance is about drawing lines in the sand, whereas Work/Life Integration is about flexibility and freedom. 
• • Even with integration, boundaries are important, necessary, and generally appreciated by all.
• The more you can remove “putting out fires”, synchronous communication, and  immediacy from your work, the easier it will be to have a sincere and stable Work/Life Integration.
• • All of which assists greatly in combating and preventing burnout. 

 

• [0:17:57] Work/Life Integration Still Requires Intention, Strategy, and Planning

 

• Incessant roadblocks, waiting for others, and spending your time “task hopping” isn’t an integration issue...it’s a strategy and planning issue.
• • Plan ahead, think of the resources you need, gather those things, then build/create, etc. 
  • • Need feedback? Don’t wait, hand it off and move on. 

 

• [0:21:41] Things We Do to Ensure Quality Work/Life Integration

 

• If you’re privileged enough, having a dedicated space is a great boon. 
• • If you can’t do that, coffee shops and local libraries are solid alternatives. 
• Determine what is essential in your life.
• • Essentialism can help!
  • Then determine what you ‘need’.
  • • Followed by what you ‘want’. 
  • What does your ideal life look like?
  • • It comes from a place of privilege, admittedly, but it’s worth considering nonetheless. 
    • This isn’t something you ask and consider once. 
    • • Ask yourself often for alignment.

 

• [0:30:33] Parting Words

 

• Topic Takeaways and Last Minute Tips
• • Protect your schedule.
  • It’s okay to have bad days, weeks, months, etc. 
  • • Don’t dwell in it.
    • It’s ok to feel unprepared. 
    • • But the time to start creating the life that you want is TODAY!