Balance Part 1 - The Balance Wheel

We've all heard of the concept of “Work-Life Balance”.  Dictionary.com defines it as “the achievement of equality between time spent working and in one’s personal life”.  For most of us, this is easier said than done.  But why is it so difficult?  I think the key words in the definition above are “equality” and “time”.

The truth is that most of us do not feel like we have enough time to do everything we want.  Do you feel like you don’t spend enough time with your kids? Do you feel like you don’t have time to exercise?  Do you feel like you spend too much or too little time at the office?  (or maybe you’re one of those people who brings the office home with you!)

I don’t necessarily agree with the definition above.  I don’t think it’s “equality” of time that’s important. In fact, equality is not realistic nor will it make us feel balanced.

So what is balance and why is it important?  I believe balance is achieved when we feel like the different “pieces of our life” are fulfilled and in harmony.  It is at this time when we will feel most satisfied and will experience true happiness.  It’s not about equality, it’s about quality.

Is it possible to ever really achieve balance?  Maybe not. But the closer we can get, the happier we will be.  It will always require effort, but perfection is not the goal.

The first step to achieving balance is understanding what’s important to you and identifying where you feel most imbalanced.  Take a look at the “Balance Wheel” below.

For me, I believe there are 4 main segments we all strive to balance in our lives: You, Work, Family, and Other.

Most of us want a lifestyle where we do not have to choose between spending time with our loved ones and earning an income.   When you look at the “Balance Wheel” below it is no wonder it is so difficult to find balance!  “Work” only accounts for 25% of the segments of the wheel, but in actuality we devote much of our lives to it!  And there are many sub-segments to the “You” category, yet it is often the most neglected.

Your personal Balance Wheel will look much different than the one above.  Some of the sub-segments may not apply to you and will require none of your time. (for example, I do not have children)  Each of our wheels will look different, and they will also change throughout our lives.

In addition, there may be sub-segments shown here that are non-existent in your life, which is creating imbalance.   (for example, R&R!)    Imbalances can lead to stress and strain in our lives, which in turn affects our level of happiness and can have serious long-term affects on our health.

So the first step in finding balance is to create your own “Balance Wheel” to identify where the majority of your time is spent.  Be honest as your estimate the division of your time.

Then, rank the sub-segments.  Do they align with the amount of time you are spending on them?  If not, you either have the determine if your time can be adjusted, or if the sub-segment can be altered.  We’ll cover this more later, but the first step in fixing any problem is understanding it.