513: MARRIAGE THROUGH THE YEARS: PART 4 — WORK-LIFE BALANCE

“Work is a rubber ball, if you drop it, it will bounce back. The other four balls-family, health, friends, integrity-are made of glass. If you drop one of these it will be irrevocably scuffed, nicked, perhaps even shattered.” —Gary Keller

[powerpress]

There have been billions of articles written on work-life balance. It’s so elusive. It’s also confusing when it comes to marriage and life in general.

It’s a buzz word for sure and for many it feels near impossible to achieve. 

Social media has created so much pressure for us when it comes to this subject. With pictures of couples out on date night or hanging out on the sofa together watching Netflix, it can easily make you feel as if you’re not doing something right.

You may also question if you’re not doing enough in your marriage compared to what others are doing. This can put a tremendous amount of pressure on your marriage, and it’s understandable why so many of us question if somehow, there should be a better balance in our lives.

The truth is, work-life balance is so subjective. Depending on the season you are in, your work-life balance is going to be different from those around you.

Instead of trying to live up to an elusive standard, acknowledge the season you are in and why. Maybe you need to work 10 hours a day right now because you’re trying to close five big deals so that the rest of the year, you’ll have financial stability. 

• That might mean you’ll cook less and order in more. 
• It might mean that the piles of laundry sit longer than they usually would. 
• It may mean you’ll spend a little less time with your family for the next couple of months. 

It does not mean that you’re permanently choosing your job over your family. It merely means that right now, this is how the scales tip. It will change, and with a marriage vision, you can embrace this season’s work-life balance for what it is. 

Balance means something different to us all, and because of that, maybe we should instead say work-life “alignment“.

What would happen if we strive to align our marriages and our lives rather than balance the different aspects of them? 

Alignment is so much more about choices and why you need to make them. It’s also more based on processes rather than right and wrong. Alignment is based on vision and values. It’s based on what you want to be in the future as a couple. 

What you choose now matters. If you decide to stay late at work because it aligns with your vision for a financially secure future, then you are empowering yourself to make the right choice for you at this moment.

Everything can be brought into alignment if you choose a path and then make sure the steps to take on it are always aligned with that vision. 

So forget about work-life balance and comparing your life to everyone else’s social media highlight reel. Instead, focus on finding alignment to make your vision a reality and getting your marriage to be what you want to be.

Power of Vision Planner

507: Marriage Through The Years Part 1 — Newly Wed

509: Marriage Through The Years Part 2 — Child Rearing Years

511: Marriage Through The Years Part 3 — Chore Wars

513: Marriage Through The Years Part 4 — Work-Life Balance

515: Marriage Through The Years Part 5 — Moving Day

517: Marriage Through The Years Part 6 — Getting Older

519: Marriage Through The Years Part 7 — Sandwich Generation

521: Marriage Through The Years Part 8 — Golden Years