What is work/life balance?
Everyday I walk to the train. It’s about a 15-minute walk, and most times I’m not looking at where my feet are going. I’m usually looking down at my phone while my thumbs conduct a symphony of taps into Slack, or email, or something else that I didn’t have time for before leaving the house.
But today I tried something different. I turned off the phone and put it in my pocket. And it was excellent.
People living in the Bay Area know how to get shit done. Pretty much every conversation is about what kind of side-hustle someone has to make an extra penny (to afford a million-dollar shack…but that’s a story for another time).
So-and-so is a full-time Product Manager and recently started an Etsy shop, but her kids know her nanny’s name better than hers. Whats-his-name is Lead Developer at a fortune 10 company and has a podcast with nearly 200k followers, but his sister opted not to visit because he’s too busy.
I don’t want to be a so-and-so or a whats-his-name.
It’s a hard balance to strike…should I start that side project, or should I take my wife on 10 more dates this year? It’s a different balance for everyone, but my priority this year is to try to be more aware of the small moments and enjoy the fragile immediacy of life. That’s super important to me, so I think it’s worth the investment.
Take time to recognize what’s most important to you — is it number one on your time-spent list?
Do you disagree? If so, I’d love to hear why. Don’t hesitate to reach out and, as always, keep leveling up!
