The other day I brought my granddaughters to their gymnastics class. As I watched them teetering on the balance beam, I started thinking about the concept of balance.
I’ve always bristled at the term “work/life balance.” I wish that someone would tell me how, for the love of all that’s holy, am I supposed to keep everything in my life in perfect balance? In my opinion, it simply doesn’t exist. Well, it doesn’t for me, anyway.
Even if, by some miraculous alignment of the moon, stars, Elvis’s birthday, and the eruption of Old Faithful, I was somehow able to get things balanced perfectly, a butterfly would flap its wings on the other side of the globe, and the whole thing would come toppling down.
And a goat rodeo would ensue.
Think Work/Life Braiding instead of Work/Life Balance.
If we look to nature, we see that nature isn’t perfectly balanced with the same temperature and weather year-round. Seeds are planted and germinate and then sprout and have a growing season. There’s a harvest time and then a season of dormancy. Everything happens in its due time.
Why would we think our lives should be any different?
The idea of “work/life braiding” is a total game-changer, especially for folks who are always juggling a million and two things to do.
What’s work/life braiding all about?
Picture a braid. Or a pretzel, if you prefer. Instead of keeping your work and life in separate silos – or on separate sides of a teeter totter, you weave them together.
Jeen-yus!
It’s not about dividing your time equally but about making sure all parts of your life support and enrich each other. It’s more natural and fluid, and honestly, it just makes more sense for our crazy, unpredictable lives.
Why work/life braiding rocks:
Go with the flow
Life is messy. Some days, (or even weeks), work will demand more of your time, and other days, personal stuff will take the front seat. Work/life braiding gives you the flexibility to roll with the punches without feeling like you’re dropping the ball somewhere.
All-around well-being
By mixing work and life, you can find ways for them to feed off each other. Like, maybe you love gardening, and it gives you great ideas for your work. Or the negotiation skills you develop as a manager or leader help you in dealing with your teenager. It’s all connected!
Be real
Ditch the superhero cape and acknowledge that you’re a mere moral like the rest of us. Forget about splitting yourself into ‘work you’ and ‘home you.’ There’s no such thing as compartmentalizing your life like that – at least not in a sustainable way.
Work/life braiding is all about being your authentic self in both places. If you’re dealing with and helping to care for aging and declining parents, share with your work peeps so that they will be more willing to cut you some slack when you’re understandably distracted. Bring your whole self to work and let your work experiences enrich your personal life. It’s about being true to who you are.
Stronger connections
Your relationships get a boost. Let your family in on what you do at work, so they understand your challenges and victories. And let your colleagues see the real you, complete with your quirks and interests outside the office.
Be intentional
Listen, I know how life tends to throw curve balls, like a grandchild being born, and a hurricane hitting, all during a pandemic (Ask me how I know). You might have a very important work project to see through to completion. When that happens, decide what compromises you’re willing to make in the short term to get through the bizzy work season.
That might mean talking to your spouse, family, or friends to get some extra support, help, or even accountability.
It’s temporary
The key is to recognize that you’ll be “off balance,” but it’s on purpose and for a specific season. Don’t get stuck there. Many high performing leaders can litrally become addicted to the bizziness, adrenaline, and cortisol released by the stress, and once they’re through this crisis, they find (or manufacture) another crisis.
Honor the wisdom of nature
We all have to acknowledge and accept the season we’re in. Trying to push through using brute force is a recipe for burnout. Work/life braiding is all about creating a more holistic and fulfilling life. It’s not about a perfect split but about weaving your work and personal life together in a way that feels natural and supportive.
When we embrace this idea, we’re not just surviving — we’re thriving.
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Lead Yourself and Your Team Out of the Land of Stuck
Through facilitated leadership team retreats, customized training programs, coaching, and keynote presentations with a hint of Cajun flavor, Jennifer Ledet, CSP, provides leaders with tools to help them be more intentional and live and lead by choice, not by chance.
