Work Life balance. life work balance. Life. Work. Balance. I used to think this was the most important thing to get right, this balance; of working sometimes and living the other times. But what I didn’t know then that I know now is that when you’re in a job you love as much as life; it’s just that; life.

Pre #joblove I would wake up every morning, check my alarm and count the hours of sleep I’d had to decide how tired I was going to act that day. I would then calculate the hours til my first break, sit and beg the clock to go slowly whilst eating lunch and then run out of there to live my life. What I was desperately seeking was a job that I loved, not work/life balance.

Ok, sure, balance sounds really cool… but doesn’t balance tend to mean one thing needs to be balanced out by the other? Like when you eat 2 acai bowls but you’ve worked out twice so that kinda cancels each out right? I’m then left with this feeling of needing to cancel out my work by overcompensating in my life. What if my work and life intertwined so much that I didn’t even know when it started and finished? No more counting hours. No more seeking balance.

I started working for a crazy little company that sells black stretchy pants but is secretly elevating the world. I was drawn to the culture and people and knew it wouldn’t be a short stay. Cupid would agree with me that when you align yourself with something that shares the same values as you, you’re bound to be a match made in heaven. And matchmaking is simple when you first know what you’re seeking; what you desire and what you envision as your perfect life. A simple way to work out your values is to read off a list of Core Values (Google is your friend here). Highlighting every value that resonates with you. Then cross out all but 15, then 10, then 5. Tick, you have values.

A little goal setting also never hurt anyone. I like to sit and think about the big picture first; where will I be in 10 years? What do I see, feel, hear, smell? Who am I with? What do I do? From the moment I wake up to the moment my head hits that pillow at the end of the day; I visualise it all. And I’m not blocked by any of those annoying thoughts that want to be there to ruin my vision. Then I write out my goals that lead me to this vision; 10 years, 5 year and 1-year goals; working back.

When you know what you want, you can identify your “non-negotiables”. For me, things like sleep, fitness (first thing in the morning), good food, physical touch* and connection keep my cup full and keep me going after those goals. (warning #joblove boasting follows) I’m just lucky that I get to do most of these things at my work…  *I get a physical touch from my boss when she pats me on my back for good behaviour. To work out what your non-negotiables are; think about what you can’t go without or better still, the things you must have to keep you functioning at your best. You can get fancy with these; eg getting your nails done, bathing in Nutella; whatever floats your boat. It’s so easy for me to identify when I’m being triggered by people or things in my life and it’s often because I’ve let one or more of my non-negotiables slip.

I’m going to take some credit and say that I also worked to create this life that I brag about. I choose to align myself with this company and surround myself with these people who I want to work with, work out with and go for wines with (disclaimer; my drink of choice is actually espresso martini, the wine just worked in better). So you can see how easily my work and life merge.

When you’re doing something that you love so much, you lose time doing it; therefore it’s hard to decipher where work ends and life starts.

Blur those lines; ain’t nobody got time to find balance.

 

 

Article by Benita Grimaldi 

Benita works for lululemon athletica in all thing community and people related. She is dedicated to connecting talented people with like-minded individuals in all facets of her life! Benita loves to share her passion for health and wellness with the world and in her spare time, runs events and supports new businesses. Benita is a professional bruncher and sweats every damn day! 

I: @benigrimaldi