The term “Work Life Balance” seems to frame “work” and “life” as opposing forces inour existence, suggesting that we are either working or living, but never both at the same time.
Our mission is to live a fulfilled life, balancing our social, family and career commitments. The diagrams below demonstrate the relationship between the three key sectors of our life and the importance of a balanced representation of each.
The first Venn diagram shows a harmonious balance of all three sectors: the person living this life enjoys an even share of career, family and social activities, ensuring a compact overlap resulting in a solid central intersection. This not only looks sound, but it is also healthy.
The person existing according to the second Venn diagram is living precariously: there is no common bond between the three key life sectors, any one of which could veer off unchecked, at any time, abandoning the others. Often the individual attempts to correct the situation by devoting more time to the abandoned sectors. Instead of bringing about a balanced lifestyle this creates three opposing forces doing their own thing - a risky undertaking indeed.
Clearly, life according to the unified Venn A is much more desirable than Venn B with its tenuous links and lack of direction.
All is not lost for Venn B though. Seeing their life objectively can provide the opportunity to identify imbalances and take steps to rein in runaways, expand the oppressed and revive the neglected. A fulfilling life is theirs for the taking when they realise that their life encompasses the three key sectors and the more compact the relationship the more resilient it will be.
As a coach I do not subscribe to the terminology of “work-life balance.” Work is part of Life, as is Family and Social engagement.
Career, Family and Social activities make up life so if we need a catchy title to impress clients why not promote a balanced "Personal-Professional Vitality.”