Balance is B.S.

CHAPTER 11Work-Life Blend: How to ditch balance and get people on board with blending

Framing the issue of work-life balance—as if the two were dramatically opposed—practically ensures work will lose out. Who would ever choose work over life?¹

—Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook

In Chapter 10 I talked about choosing your own adventure and checking your career moves against your values. The dream is to create a career where your typical workday includes doing things that fill up your soul.

A lot of us see work as something we have to get through so that we can afford the money to spend on the nice things that make our life worth it. Or so that we deserve to reward ourselves with a glass of wine at the end of the week, or a massage or a vacation. Or as a way of earning awards and recognition, so that we feel like we've done something worthwhile with our lives. Work is a way of earning pleasure and proving ourselves.

But the idea that the work itself can fill up our soul? Unfortunately, not many of us are “lucky” enough to like our jobs. We often resign ourselves to the idea that work isn't pleasant; that's just the way life is. People are living for the weekend.

As usual, I think the opposite. Let me be really clear on this: Work and life are not two different things. My work is part of my life. It's actually one of my favorite parts of life.

If this isn't true in your life, how do you get there? When you read Chapter 10 you might have been thinking, “easier said than done.” Well, ...