Work-Life Balance is not Living.

Work Life Balance implies you are able to establish equilibrium with the intersections of work, family, friends, leisure, and health. The reality is "balance" is subjective and the intersections are choices. We only have One Life to live and the better you integrate it with what you love, the better your performance, productivity, and overall happiness.

I still remember an inspirational presentation given by Jim Lafferty in June 2009. This presentation challenged the Work Life Balance strategy and offered simple yet highly effective approaches to living with integrity, love, and fulfillment, which I still use Today.

A few of the key themes were:

1. Define up to 5 roles you will live in life with integrity, empathy, and accountability because more than that you lose your effectiveness and impact, Examples are being a father, husband, son, engineering leader (work), musician.

2. Use One Schedule for your life to integrate what you value most and what is most important to get done. I use the Pareto 80:20 principle (e.g. 20% effort to achieve 80% results) and One Thing (book by Gary Keller) methodology - "what's the One Thing I can do such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?" We actually have a family calendar (large whiteboard) in the living room to integrate all activities, even daddy-daughter dates!

3. Make a list of 100 things you want to experience in life (try to do at least 2 a year). I still have this list I started during my international plane trips and I love checking things off and realizing some have changed!

So, since it's now the weekend, this is a perfect opportunity to assess how you spend your time each day during the week. I recommend to break activities into themes and reflect on which ones bring you joy and how you want to optimize them.

Here is an example:

After sleep, personal activities, and work, in a typical day you will have 3 hours (25%) to spend on "Life" activities. You can increase this to reach 75% for a 7 day week if you replace your 12 hr / day work hours on Saturday and Sunday with "Life" time. I used to "balance" my life this way as a weekend dad/husband because of travel for a job. I have worked in environments where it was a badge of honor to miss vacation for a few years, an expectation to be available 24/7, and alcohol was the drink of choice. If you don't love your job, this type of environment will only deteriorate your physical, mental, and spiritual health. Get Out! Know also that "getting out" might mean out of your own head, feelings, and past programs. Changing your perspective sometimes is the best way to change your environment because feelings of happiness is an inside-out job.

I have learned through my life chapters the importance of spending quality time with your team members, family, friends, and self. Quality time means 100% attention in the moment. Doing this while working a job you love which values your strengths to improve the lives of others is the best recipe. This brings us to one of my favorite quotes: "If it's fun, its never work. And if it isn't fun, it'll never work." - Hobie Alter.

Please remember this as you integrate and optimize your career and life activities.

I have learned through integration of career and life activities that sometimes:

• the end of a business trip is the best time to take vacation with family since you already know the best restaurants :-) and can show your family around the new area

• lunchtime at work is the best time to practice a hobby (I used to attend a boxing class) you come back to work energized, more productive, and with new perspectives

• waiting to board a plane is the best time to write your executive summary from your trip

• when you are between games at a kid's sports tournament is the best time to call that new business contact to discuss strategy...

I'm looking forward to learning from your experiences in this journey we call Life. The key is to define what brings you joy and makes life "fun" because then, all becomes optimized!

© Nuri Dimler 2025