balance

Work/Life Balance

There is no such thing as “work/life balance” …it’s just LIFE.

For millennia mankind required no discussion of work/life balance.

There was no such thing as work vs life.

Hunter/gatherers weren’t trying to figure out a way to balance berry picking and mammoth-killing with kids, vacation, completing errands and “self-care”. You just did life.

You died at like 25…. no need for retirement planning.

Civilization

On and on we go. “Civilization” brings a new type of work but, again, there is no separation between work and life.

Medieval Europe and the feudal system produced a horrible state of life for most but there was no time spent trying to manage work/life balance.

You just worked with your family. That was life. On and on this way.

Farming communities provided some of the first opportunities for “downtime” and time off according to the seasons.

The American Way

In America, everyone in the family/community worked together on a similar schedule.

Everyone played together as well. A rhythm to life.

Yet, throughout most of human history, being a farmer, or a blacksmith, wasn’t meant to be reflected upon.

You just did it and your family and community did the same. Or they died. Pretty simple formula.

The Industrial Revolution

Fast forward to the industrial revolution which is firmly established by 1800.

Urban populations explode. Manufacturing and factory life. However, there was no discussion of work/life balance.

Again, everyone is trying to survive.

A professional class is beginning to emerge (managers, owners) and they may have a different way of life.

But overall, there is no such thing as work/life balance. It’s all life.

By the 1920’s, however, white collar work is becoming more prevalent.

Management and the emergence of “knowledge work”. Technology explodes. Exponential advancements.

Life, for many people, becomes comfortable and involves some level of leisure.

Time Off

Time off becomes a “thing”.

It’s about this time (1940’s) that the concept of “work/life” balance makes its debut.

Interestingly, it’s most often used in reference to people working in white collar jobs.

Arguably, the easier type of work from a long term health standpoint.

Work on a computer and giving talks, and running meetings is not as hard as digging ditches or building houses.

Stacking Boards

My grandfather owned a lumber company.

He would cut trees down and turn them into boards. For 16 hours a day. For years. Day in and day out.

If someone would have told him to “take some time to take care of himself” he would have been thoroughly confused.

No one even thought that way back then. It was a non-concept. Literally. It did not exist.

At that same time, however, the manager at IBM was being told to focus on work/life balance.

Make sure you don’t get too tired punching that keyboard?

A New Concept

A.) Work/life balance is brand new social construct: its only about 60 or 70 years old.

In the context of millions of years of human work it’s nonsensical construct. Ridiculous.

B.) There is no reason to focus on work/life balance: go back to our roots.

Focus instead on life and designing a life you want.

C.) A key theme across humanity seems to be rhythm: time off is important.

However, the history of man shows that time off followed “seasons” more than “weekends” or “getting off by 5pm”.

Not Ordained by God

We need to complete meaningful work and take time off according to the seasons of our life.

Not some arbitrary societal construct. It’s all made up.

Just because it’s normal doesn’t mean it’s righteous. Retirement planning and the 40 hour work week were not ordained by God.

My Life, My Design

I will design my life according to the needs of my family and my work. Not according to the norms of society.

I may work 100 hours a week for the next year and then take a year off. Or I may work 60 hours a week and take 4 day weekends. I don’t know.

But I can assure you “their opinion” and “work/life balance” will have zero bearing on my decisions.

“They” like to label me a workaholic because I fall outside the norm.

That’s what they do…. to keep everyone in line.