As the holiday season is once again upon us, it serves as a reminder that there are other “things” outside of work to occupy our time and thoughts. For some entrepreneurs, this time of year is a welcomed reminder to redirect some attention to something other than business. For others, it’s just a reminder that causes momentary guilt but has zero impact on behavior.
There has been so much written on Work-Life Balance that one could spend a lifetime just researching how to achieve it. Some articles offer helpful tips and others, like Sheryl Sandberg, have declared “there’s no such thing as Work-Life balance”.
I have a very different take on the topic which starts with my understanding of Balance from years of being a gymnast. A very popular Canadian sport for men (Ha!) that is all about mastering the art of Balance. What I learned is that there is no such thing as Balance based on how most people think of it. Balance is not a static “perfection point” that is achieved and locked-in. It’s actually a constantly changing state that requires dynamic adjusting. Being Balanced is about continuous adjustments that keep you within an acceptable range. Think of a handstand. It looks like perfect balance but it’s actually many lightning-quick and almost unnoticeable adjustments to hold the body within a “range” of Balance. Hit the edge of that range (in any direction) and you fall out of the handstand. In order to have Life Balance, you need to first set what that range (in all directions) is for YOU. With that understanding, you can constantly adjust to make sure you stay in Balance.
Yah, the trick I’m doing on rings above is way easier to Balance than Work-Life. But don’t feel bad that you work like crazy because you should work hard. You’re an entrepreneur!
Author: Scott MacDonald, Co-founder & Managing Partner, McRock Capital
