I’ve been working on a talk to give at a retreat for nutrition professionals. The topic is one I strive to achieve every day: work-life balance.
Strive is the perfect word because it is indeed a challenge to strike this balance while running a business, being devoted to my 3 kids and my husband, and serving my church and community. I imagine you can relate to the struggle – even if you are not working out of the home in this season.
This is image is so serene. Ultimately the state of affairs in our lives may line up nicely like this if everything stays in balance. But let’s be honest – getting the rocks stacked in perfect balance like that takes work and intentionality, and keeping them there takes constant effort.
Balance is not serenity. It is dynamic. It requires movement and constant shifts and strategic redistribution of weight. A tight-rope walker would agree that maintaining balance requires intention and attention. It requires strength from within: that deep-down determination and literal core strength as well. The good news is that it gets easier with practice…it’s “like riding a bike.” (Well, maybe a little more like riding a unicycle.)
Carve out a moment to reflect on how well we’ve struck the balance and consider how we may need to distribute our weight to stay in better balance.
For me, it’s not easy. I am an “all in” personality. And I tend to want to be “all in” to too many things at once. And to make it worse, I am a strong-willed DIY-er. I don’t want anyone doing or making anything for me that I could do or make myself. Sigh. 🙂 What about you?
I have been learning that if I want to be the best I can be and make a lasting impact, I need to narrow my focus. I need to be “all in” only in the areas that God intended for me, and let other things go — letting go and letting others shine in those areas where I just don’t naturally shine.
Ah yes, that means we must admit that there areas where we just aren’t meant to shine. A major-league pitcher is not meant to be a catcher… Should he spend all his spare time working to marginally improve his weakness, or should he make the most of his strength? Exactly!
So, for my business for example, I’ve hired a team of people who have opposite giftings of me. When I have to cover their tasks from time to time, I do it with “ants in my pants” – just itching to get back to my sweet spot strengths. (Sometimes I find my knees bouncing like a kid about to pitch a fit.)
Honestly what gets me through to the completion of covering their tasks (without pitching the impending fit) is my gratitude for the balance they bring to the mix. I’m so grateful we are all made differently but come together beautifully!
Would you ponder where you could narrow your focus to be the best you can be at both work and play, with your unique giftings and priorities in mind? I’ll share some questions I’ve asked myself along my journey that may help you, too.
Fill in this blank: “For me, __________ is everything.”
- Does your life show evidence of this?
- Does your checkbook/credit card statement?
- Your to-do list? Your journal entries? Your prayer requests?
- The state of affairs at home and your workplace?
- Would your loved ones say the same?
What are your non-negotiables?
To determine these, consider:
- What do you most consistently do, and with whom? (Tip: think through each day of the week, one day at a time.)
- What do you most consistently WISH you had done?
- What disciplines, if practiced faithfully would make the biggest impact on your quality of life?
With these in mind, what should you DO, DUMP or DELEGATE over the next 90 days? The author of Essentialism, Greg McKeown, suggests a “quarterly off-site” every 90 days where you go off the grid for time to consider the questions above afresh each quarter. Genius!
Michael Hyatt, bestselling author of Living Forward urges us to count the costs if we don’t! So, what if you don’t strive for balance? What if you don’t thoughtfully consider what to do, dump, and delegate?
- your health and longevity is at risk
- in a nutshell, we’re either strategic or sorry (or else just oblivious)
- your marriage and family is at risk
- prevention/maintenance is better than recovery
- your friendships
- keep up so you don’t have to catch up
- your impact and legacy
- each of our decisions have impact on others (is anything truly neutral?)
- remember: #progressnotperfection
Go ahead and schedule your “quarterly off-site” so you can be more strategic about bringing work-life balance to this upcoming season!
