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Everybody talks about work-life balance, and everybody wants it.
People try to have it all: a fulfilling family life, a successful career, community involvement, and time for themselves…but work-life balance is a myth, and trying to attain it is hopeless.
This myth tells people they have to separate their lives to be happy. But be realistic: working only eight hours a day, there’s still not enough time for eight hours of socializing and eight hours of sleep. It’s impossible to have it all.
Focus on achieving work-life happiness instead. Don’t separate work from life: blend them together. Here are 4 ways to blend work and life, and be happier for it:
Make friends at work. Take time to get to know coworkers on a personal level. Ask colleagues about their lives…and actually listen, and remember the details. Attend happy hours, join office co-rec teams, and invest in the relationships you create. It will make your time at work much more enjoyable.
Blend personal and professional. If you’re involved with a nonprofit, offer to teach colleagues about the cause during lunch. Host a donation drive, or work with the company to sponsor a fundraising event. If you’re an athlete, start a co-rec team with the company. There’s no reason to separate personal and professional passions.
Value weeknights. Don’t just go straight home after work; make a point to do something outside the box. See a play, host a dinner party, or find a place to volunteer regularly. You would be amazed what it can do for personal morale.
Work hard. Commit 100 percent to getting better at your job…otherwise, how do you know if you really enjoy it? Come in early, and stay late. Believe in what you’re doing. Believe in what the company is doing. When you put in the time, success and happiness will follow.
