Why A Healthy Work Life Balance Is Hugely Overrated

This post is an example of the content I share every Friday in my Living by Experience Magazine. If you’d like your free copy, just click here.

A work life balance is important. Even some job ads talk about how the company you’re about to work for will “allow” for a great work / life balance. Which is really nice of them. Because when you deduct the hours in a 24 hour day you spend sleeping, how much of the remainder do you spend in the confines of the office? Usually well over half for anyone working full-time. Turns out the promised work / life balance isn’t much of a balance at all. But at least we do something we believe in, right? That must be why we thank God it’s Friday.

What if you do something you believe in? All of a sudden work is no longer a job, it’s a passion. One of the loves of your life, so to speak. This happens to creative entrepreneurs who “create ” their own job. Which typically means starting your own company, because not very many companies appreciate the creative initiative to write your own job title, let alone job description, or pay cheque. They’d prefer to keep strict control over at least two of the three. But let’s assume you wiggled yourself out of the mold somehow. You’re doing what you love, and manage to make enough money from it, too. Your work life balance no longer exists, because your job is your passion which is your life. If you truly love what you do, you can do it all day, and keep going at it forever. And eventually get burned out anyway. So much for living the dream and following a passion.

It confuses other people too. When I invited some people over for a small gathering at my house they thought it was a work event. Which is not surprising, because working in the fine art industry I sent out a lot of invites to all sorts of events, functions and parties. Which I think is pretty cool. I really wish someone would have invited me to all the neat things this city has to offer. But these people didn’t show up. It made me think. Making my work my passion and thus my life makes other people think I’m always working and private gatherings are now to be considered work meetings. Note to self – I really must be more specific in my invites.

Or maybe I need to be more specific in who I invite, instead. Because following your passion is really hard work. You can read about it in my Wealthy Artist book. One needs all the support one can get. And that starts with your own network – friends, family, relatives, acquaintances. At least that is my humble opinion. That’s why I’ve spent lots of money on stuff I didn’t really need at times, but I just wanted to support whoever was selling it. Candles, cookies, chocolate, art, you name it. So am I now trying to guilt you into buying my products or services? Not necessarily. All I ask is before you make any purchase, to look in your own network of friends, family and acquaintances first. Consider what they have to offer. They’ll love you for it, because you’ll find most of them to be pretty passionate about what they do.

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