Every year, numerous studies rank countries based on their work-life balance, considering factors such as annual holidays, parental leave policies, and weekly/monthly working hours. Many individuals take pride in working for companies that prioritize a healthy work-life balance. However, I have a fundamental question to pose: How can work-life balance truly exist? You may wonder why I ask this. My counter-question is: “Is work not a part of life?” If you agree that it is, then why do we perceive work and life as separate entities? Have you ever contemplated this?
Some may argue that work cannot be a part of life because life is meant to be free of stress, worries, and always enjoyable, whereas work is associated with stress, concerns, targets, and other issues. To this, I pose another fundamental question: Why can’t work be devoid of stress and worry? If you genuinely like or love the work you do, do you believe it would be stressful or enjoyable? As the saying goes, “If you love your work, you’ll never work a day in your life.” What does this mean? It means that when you love your work, you simply enjoy it without experiencing work-related stress.
Now, let’s consider the biggest concern for any company: productivity. Who do you think would be more productive? The person who works solely for the purpose of earning money or the person who loves their work and also receives monetary compensation? I am confident you would agree that the person who loves their work will earn money as a natural byproduct. Moreover, who would be happier? Undoubtedly, the person who loves their work would find greater happiness.
So, the next time you come across or discuss the term “work-life balance,” I urge you to ask yourself: Is work truly a separate entity from my life? And if it is, what can you do to integrate the two? Happy working.