Do you feel forced to choose between work and a satisfying personal life? Here’s how to find balance.
About a month ago, I was approached by a young Chicago woman who has devoted her life to helping others – sometimes at the expense of her own happiness. Finally she has realised that it’s her turn to ask for support and to find greater happiness in life. But the challenge would be far greater than she had anticipated.
Last week she learned that she has Stage 2 breast cancer. She is a health-conscious athlete who makes her own organic peanut butter, bread, and juices. Cancer was the last thing she or anyone who knows her would have expected. “I haven’t lived my life big enough,” she said. “I’m not ready to die.”
Immediately after learning this news, I spoke to a healthy, 58-year-old client who has decided against taking a few days off to celebrate his mother’s 91st birthday with the rest of his family. “Things are hectic at work,” he said. “I’ll make it up to her another time.” Another time?
These experiences prompted me to think back on the entrepreneurs I have worked with over the years. How many times have I heard someone say he or she hasn’t been on a vacation for years? Or that the kids were disappointed that they couldn’t go to the zoo as planned? How many times has one parent needed to take the kids camping without the other because something came up at work? And how often has the overwhelmed entrepreneur taken just one more day to wrap things up before getting on a plane to be with a dying relative, sometimes arriving too late? Many, many times, I assure you. And the guilt and regret only add to the burden, making life much more difficult.
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