Later Isn’t Guaranteed: Don’t Put Off Living A More Balanced Life

Have you ever said to yourself,

I’ll have a better work-life balance later.

I’ll have more time for my family later.

Once I achieve X, then I’ll be able to spend more time out of the office.

So many of us have said these things, or something like them, to ourselves and it’s been something I’ve been thinking about recently. 

I had the thought that maybe it was a generational difference. The “hippy generation”, a little before my time although I do have a little bit of that in me, prioritized making a difference and changing the world when it came to the work they did. I think my generation then came into the workforce wanting to be successful and prove ourselves. We wanted to put our heads down and get ahead. 

Millennials are 26-41 years old now and are more or less in the beginning stages of their careers. The other day someone called them “entitled” and it made me pause and think about what that meant. 

I think Millennials are on to something. 

I think, as a generation, they’re ahead of the curve and have had a realization that I personally didn’t understand until later in my career. Whether or not you want to use the word “entitled” many millennials believe in having a healthy work-life balance and in having a job or career that they feel is making a difference. 

Whereas my generation might have said to ourselves, that will come later. 

Ad for many of us, that was the time when our kids were young and living at home. 

There is no later. 

You’ve got to find that balance now. 

One of the eight pillars of my career assessment tool is “Balance”. This tool is a guide that helps you rate different aspects of your career to bring to your attention where changes need to be made, whether that means switching jobs or asking for what you need in your current position. When it comes to balance, you need to ask yourself:

How well does your job fit in with the rest of your life? 

Have you given up things that are important to you such as hobbies, personal relationships, or a healthy lifestyle for the sake of your job?

Are you sacrificing important time with your family for your job?

Living a balanced life is a truly important factor of having a fulfilling career and a happy life which is what I strive to help my clients with. I want you to be saying “T.G.I.M” every Monday. 

If you feel like your work-life balance is well, not balanced, or that there is some aspect of your job that is not fulfilling to you, find a quiet place to think and take my free career assessment. I also invite you to join my Facebook group “Fulfilling Career, Happy Life” where you can benefit from a supportive community and the resources and weekly lives that I will share. See you there.