A Controversial Opinion about What Work/Life Balance Really Means

Evan Hackel

• "All you do is work!"
• "You don't just act like a workaholic, you think like one too!"
• "That big project that's occupying all your time is going to damage your family life."
• "Does your job really mean more to you than your family does?"

All busy people have heard comments like those. I have heard them, and I believe you probably have too. The problem with them is that they sound caring and reasonable. But are they really?Some people seem to believe that if they work harder, they will destroy their work-life balance. Now, I am a very big believer in establishing a good work-life balance. But the reality is that you want your business to achieve all it can achieve. And I like to remember that even in a company that has become wildly successful, it is still possible for people to enjoy time with their families.  To summarize, work-life balance doesn’t mean your business goes on hold, so you can attend to personal pursuits. The reality is if your business is on hold, your business is going backwards. Some other company is going to outperform you. You will then have a serious issue when your business is going to go bad. And leading an enterprise that is going downhill will have a way of doing more harm to your work-life balance than you believed possible. If you talk with the members of your family and explain why you are working exceptionally hard to hit an important goal, I am willing to bet that they will encourage you. They will understand that succeeding will make you happier, better adjusted and, in reality, a happier member of your family.After all, everyone in your family will have "crunch" times. Your kids might be training for an upcoming athletic competition, studying for standardized tests, or applying to colleges. Your partner or spouse will have important challenges to meet.Today's healthy family is one where people express their love for each other at all times, including when they are working very, very hard. It's part of the new reality. Is that a bad reality? I really do not believe so.