I’ve been working a lot this year, and sometimes I wonder if I have my “work-life balance” right.
But then I remember that work-life balance never made any sense to me.
Because “work” and “life” are not two separate weights on a scale. They’re not even two different things.
So many of us have been taught to chase some perfect formula, the right distribution of time and energy that will finally make everything feel “balanced.”
But what are we actually balancing?
Technically, balance is “an even distribution of weight enabling something to remain upright and steady,” or “a condition in which different elements are equal or in the correct proportions.”
But I’m not trying to barely “remain upright and steady” and not collapse under the weight of living in the 21st century. I’m not looking to split my time into equal parts.
When I think about balance, or more precisely, harmony, I’m not thinking about my calendar.
I’m thinking about me.
My mind.
My body.
My heart.
My spirit.
The four aspects of my being. That’s what I need to bring into harmony.
Harmony isn’t about equal weight. It’s “the combination of different notes to create something pleasing.”
It’s not about measuring, it’s about relationship. And about creating something pleasing.
When those parts of me are attuned, when my body is rested, my mind is clear, my heart is open, and my spirit is grounded, then the so-called “parts of life” that capitalism organizes (work, family, rest, hobbies, community) begin to flow through me instead of pulling me apart.
Because those aren’t compartments to manage. They’re expressions of who I am. And they can only feel aligned when I am aligned.
So if you're feeling out of balance, overwhelmed, scattered… Instead of asking, “What part of my life needs to change?”
Ask, “What part of me is asking for attention right now?”
You are not a productivity system. You’re a whole, complex being.
And you deserve to feel in tune with yourself.
In harmony.
Photo by Zhu Yunxiao on Unsplash