The Importance of Balance0
Joe M posted in homelife, opinion on August 31st, 2008
In talking to someone recently, I re-discovered something I have always known, but had forgotten.
There is an old saying, “Don’t keep all your eggs in one basket.”
What makes you happy?
For many people, it’s doing a good job.
Focus and passion are great qualities to have. Drawing a thin line in between those qualities, demonstrated at the office, and workaholism can be a tough task.
I’ve done it. I know people that do it now. I have seen many people do it in the past.
At one point, I was in a different role, a non-IT job. I was up against several challenges.
No matter how hard I tried, I kept getting feedback from my supervisors that I was not performing as well as I could. My answer? Pour more effort and time, passion and focus into my job.
I went from working 45 hours a week to 60.
I felt as if I was improving. I was getting positive feedback from my co-workers. I felt successful.
A few months later, I had my evaluation. I walked into the meeting with a positive attitude and a smile.
Ironically, my supervisor informed me that he had not observed the same amount of improvement as for which I felt I was due credit.
This was a shock to me. Luckily, I had documented my co-workers’ feedback. I showed it to him. I showed him other accomplishments which I had documented.
He seemed only slightly subdued, and insisted that I had a great deal of room for improvement.
I did not feel as if I was getting a fair shake. You can credit it to office politics, or lack of being politically correct, however you want to categorize it.
I got my full raise that year, probably due to my argument and documentation on my performance.
In subsequent months after that, I slowly perceived myself as slacking off. I dropped back to 40 hours a week. I spent about two thirds less time studying and reading. I developed a lackadaisical attitude.
I started spending more time on other items. I increased my exercise regimen. I made it a point to get out and socialize. I began to read more for enjoyment. I spent time on projects around the house, and assisting friends and family with projects.
When I walked into the next eval meeting, I did not have very high expectations. I had suspicions that my lack of focus and passion would show up on my eval.
I was completely shocked. My supervisor gave me outstanding marks and complimented me on improving in several areas.
I was not sure if I had somehow subliminally communicated my relaxed disposition, or if it was some sort of office political stunt.
Looking back, I know more about what actually happened.
To make a long story short, there was office politics and some predisposition going on, constantly.
In the first instance, I managed to convey a disposition of being uptight and a workaholic.
In the second instance, I conveyed a different disposition. A different frame.
Frames are a whole conversation in themselves, for a later time.
What I learned was, that you have to keep a separation between work and home. Unless you have an emergency, leave work at work. If you have to bring work home, put limitations and boundaries on your work at home..
As physical, mental and spiritual beings, we all have needs.
We all can stretch and push ourselves to the limits, but no one is superhuman.
Make sure you challenge yourself and keep a life outside of work.
Without referring to your job, answer the following questions:
- What makes you happy?
- What makes you feel challenged?
- What accomplishments would you like to make?
- What places would you like to visit?
- What experiences would you like to have?
- Where do you see yourself in five years?
