The end of work-life balance

Balance ≠ equal

February 28, 2022

Hey there —

Is it just us or does creating “work-life balance” feel impossible lately?

Thanks to email in our pocket, the expectation to always be on, and the rise of remote work, many of us are just a push notification away from our jobs.

But striving for a perfectly balanced career and personal life might have been a lost cause from the start. Our personal and professional lives rarely run in neat parallel lines.

There will always be times when life feels out of balance:

🚀 A project launch might mean your reading list takes a backseat.
🤒 Taking care of a sick family member might mean you have to push your deadlines back.
🎄 Seasonal sales at your store might gobble up your weekends for a month.

But it’s important to remember that “balance” does not mean “equal.”

A healthy personal life and successful career are supposed to be dynamic moving targets.

Your work and personal life might blend together from time to time. We’ve all been guilty of messaging co-workers during dinner, clearing our inbox while watching Netflix, or muting a conference call long enough to pee.

(Btw that last one is actually totally okay… just make sure you turn your camera off).

And while it’s important to turn off our devices to spend quality time with loved ones and stop multitasking while The Great British Baking Show is on, it’s also important to give ourselves permission to be a little off balance from time to time.

You won’t be able to achieve a perfect work-life balance every day. No one will.

But if you seek a healthy mix of meaningful work, prioritize the people and values that matter to you over the long haul, and hit the reset button when you stumble, you’ll achieve something better than balance.

You’ll live a life you’re proud of.

Because, at the end of the day, it’s all life.

I’m a Short Afternoon Walk and You’re Putting Way Too Much Pressure on Me

Article | by Emily Delaney

During the pandemic, the idea of taking short walks became as popular as pumpkin spice lattes in October. Creators preached about how these walks helped them release stress, get inspired, and come up with an endless stream of new ideas.

But Emily Delaney is here to tell you—with wit, humor, and a few gut-punches—that your relationship with the short afternoon walk is all wrong.

While walks are a great habit to pick up, many people are expecting too much from them. As Emily explains, they’re never going to be what you want it to be.

You’re Not Going to Believe What I’m About to Tell You

Comic | Matthew Inman

In this comic, Matthew Inman (aka “The Oatmeal”) explores how learning information that doesn’t line up with our beliefs can make us…uncomfortable.

It’s called the backfire effect — a biological way of protecting your core beliefs — and it’s powerful stuff. See how you handle it when you learn a few things about George Washington…

Tip of My Tongue

Tool | Chirag Mehta

Ever have a word on the tip of your tongue, but you just can’t put your finger on it?

Chirag created a tool to help you find that word you’ve been thinking about all day but can’t seem to remember. Just enter the partial words, meaning, or letters of the word. You can even refine your search by typing what the word you’re blanking out on sounds like.

Written by Rochi Zalani