Work/Life balance is healthy. It’s good. And it looks different for different people.
But when you stop working for the day, you don’t (or shouldn’t) pull a Superman/Clark Kent persona change. You close your laptop, you switch focus, but you’re still in the character of you, with your same likes, dislikes, interests, talents, personality traits — all of the things at your core that make you who you are, and, ultimately, good at what you do for a living.
After our last company retreat in April, I wrote about our “goals” session and defining Wants vs. Shoulds. I thought I pinpointed what I wanted, but I didn’t. I failed.
My lines got crossed. What I thought I wanted — to be a published writer for “x” publications — didn’t really blend into the rest of my life. What I want to write when I’m on the clock should match up to what I want to read when I’m off the clock.
Real passion, of course, comes from our natural behaviors. When our designer, Caroline, has down time, she’s often sketching (follow her on Instagram to see her amazing work) because she wants to. Those sketches often inspire what she creates on the job. When Matt has a quiet morning, he’s journaling because he wants to. And sometimes those journals turn into Proof blog posts, speeches, etc.
So, on our most recent company retreat, I redefined my writing goal from six months ago and turned it into something tangible, exciting, realistic, and much more “me”. I’m reading and journaling more about what I want — for genuine inspiration — and learning from others who have what I want. Most importantly, I’m blending goals for work with goals for life.
As entities, work and life are separate, as they should be, but one influences the other. Every day. See what goals you can blend to make both better, together.