The fairy tale of work-life balance

Often one suffers from having a lot of work, but no task.

Helmut Walters (1930-1985), German writer

"Work-Life Balance" is repeatedly mentioned as an important prerequisite for maintaining health and avoiding burnout. In this model, it is important to keep the "work" and "life" aspects balanced. If busy individuals work eight hours or more, leaving little time for "life" or leisure, how can we achieve balance between these two areas of life? And does work really take place outside of our lives? In which part, work or life, should our self-realization and fulfillment take place? Solely outside of work, only in our free time? During one of my lectures, the moderator once asked me if my work also "stresses" me. No, it doesn't, because I love my work, it fulfills me. Work is not negative for me, nor is it something that takes place outside of my life. However, the concept of Work-Life Balance suggests that work is bad and life or leisure is good. I know many people who enjoy their jobs and have fun at work. In accordance with the Work-Life Balance model, long-term unemployed individuals, who have plenty of free time, should always be happy and healthy. Quite the opposite is true. Non-employed and underemployed individuals often experience high levels of "stress" and are prone to various conditions such as depression. We need work and professional tasks that align with us as individuals, with our vision, goals, values, and strengths. Work that fulfills us is one of the most important prerequisites to avoid sliding into burnout. If your work makes you happy and content, you don't need Work-Life Balance. Of course, if you pursue your dream job for twelve hours a day for several years, this behavior will also lead to burnout. To remain healthy in the long term, in addition to work that aligns with you as a person, you need a balanced ratio of stress and recovery, not a balance between "work" and "life." Conclusion: Always ensure you have sufficient recovery periods, especially after strenuous work phases, such as after completing a project. Treat yourself to a "relaxing" weekend after a very demanding work week and replenish your energy reserves with your favorite activities, without causing yourself excessive stress. Regularly check if your goals still align with your values and strengths, so you don't waste energy on things and activities that are not worthwhile. Assuming you have goals, it's best to have them formulated in writing! And if your work truly stops being enjoyable over an extended period and the job and/or your colleagues endlessly annoy you, ask yourself when there might be prospects for improvement. If your answer is "Never," then strive for a change! Otherwise, it will be difficult to maintain your life balance even with the best regenerative measures. For more information on Work-Life Balance, visit: http://www.trainers-excellence.de/redner/gregor-rossmann-fit-speaker-brainkinetik.html