There is nothing like Work-Life Balance…it’s all about Life’s Balance

In the corporate environment, “Work-Life” balance is the buzz word used by organizations and employees to measure and qualify the quality of Life. WiKi defines Work-Life balance as “A concept including proper prioritizing between "work" (career and ambition) and "lifestyle" (health, pleasure, leisure, family and spiritual development/meditation). Related, though broader, terms include "lifestyle calm balance" and "lifestyle choices".” Although it differs organization to organization as well as person to person, in the current times when we are always ‘connected’, most of us end up spending 12 hours a day (out of 24) for the work. If we consider remaining 12 hours as ‘Life’, there is a 50-50% split between Work and Life really. However, the term ‘Work-Life balance’ seemingly means, work time is something not to be worried about as quality time and the reminder needs to be the quality time. However, if the time split is 50-50 or more in favor of work time, there is nothing like ‘Work-Life balance’. There cannot be a clear-cut separation between these times. The point is we should enjoy our work, every moment of it. That is only way to live a balanced Life. 

Live in the moment –

There are many a times, we think, I will have peaceful and happy state of mind , as soon as….

·         My examination is over,

·         The production deployment is done,

·         I change my current job, home, location, etc.

·         The kids are independent,

·         Next financial year,

·         I get next salary raise,

·         ….

There are other times when we think, it would have been better if…

·         I studied more for the examination,

·         We did not accept last minute hot-fix to production environment,

·         I did not change last job, home, location, etc.

·         Kids are still with me,

·         I planned my finances better last year,

·         ….

 

Future is not there yet and past is gone. All we have is the current moment, today, this-month, this-year, this-job. We need to learn the art and science to live in the current moment. If we are not living in current moment we are living in illusion. Living in current moment creates an impact on emotional well-being and as a matter of fact on physical health too. Living in current moment is like living with acceptance (there is no option any way). We are then accepting life as it is ‘now’, not how we wish it would have been.  Living in acceptance follows the sense of completeness.  If we do not live in the current moment, we are giving up the Life and the power to create and change.  There is then nothing like ‘Work-Life’ balance, if we live in the current moment all the time. 

The reason why we cannot live in the moment is our mind is continuously talking to the self and keeps reflecting the past and future. The mind needs to be trained to stay in the current moment. A simple practice of Mindfulness meditation every day is one good way to tame the mind. The meditation needs to be practiced for as many minutes as person’s age in number of years. (30 minutes for 30 year old person). It will take about 40 days to develop the habit and change the brain wave pattern.  There is nothing like ‘Work-Life’ balance after that, it’s all about life’s balance.