Achieving Balance When Work Is Your Life Passion

If you have read any of my other articles on the topic of work/life balance, you already know I don’t believe in a traditional balance. Trying to make parts of your life equal seems ridiculous to me.

Achieving balance when work is your life passion can be really difficult because it’s what you love to do.

I know how that feels. When I first got started writing, creating programs and putting on seminars, it seemed like I worked from every location I visited around the world. I loved creating and I loved communicating with the people my work was helping.

Now, 14 years later, social media is so pervasive that you’re almost required to stay connected no matter what you are doing and where you are.

So how do you have a personal life that includes the things you were interested in, and the things you spent time talking about before your work became your passion?

Your version of balance is a conscious decision you have to make. [Tweet “Your version of balance is a conscious decision you have to make.”]

It’s about you setting boundaries with yourself.

This morning I was thinking about my 39th birthday party because it dawned on me that it’s 20 years ago this week. And that was the last life event that all the people who attended were work friends. I realized then it was time for me to expand my social circle.

39th Birthday Party
Cabo San Lucas

When I lived in Cabo in the 90’s I worked in the timeshare industry. All my friends were co-workers or people who worked at other resorts. There really wasn’t anything else to do for work here. That meant that all we talked about, no matter who we were with or what we were doing, was work.

It got to the point where I couldn’t enjoy playing golf on a beautiful world-class golf course when we were talking about the sales presentation that took place two hours ago.

I needed some separation. I started to join groups of people who did charitable work. I joined a spiritual discussion group. And a new friend and I created a women’s group called Cabo Winos (please don’t judge us).

That gave me some breathing space from only talking shop.

Now 20 years later I find myself resetting those boundaries, but with the work I am passionate about. After taking about 3 years off and closing my business, my business is ramping up full force,and I find myself once again, doing nothing but working or at least thinking about work.

It’s time for me to get serious about carving out time to do hobbies I enjoy and spend time with people I know in town that have no idea if I work or what I do. I know that I can get caught up in only thinking about how I can serve others to the point I forget about taking time to give to myself.

This is something I need to work on. Maybe you find yourself doing the same thing.

For me, it’s as simple as going back to 3 things I did 20 years ago.

1. Take time to hang out with people I enjoy.

2. Have more down time where I don’t even think about work.

3. On days off, really take the day off, and don’t worry about posting to social media, because I’m sure the world can do without me for at least 1 day.

What do your new boundaries need to be for you to feel like you can achieve balance when work is your life passion?

I know it can be hard, especially if this is your first venture into living your passion as a result of taking the path of living an ageless lifestyle after 50. One thing I can tell you is that your ageless mind will say than you if you do find your own personal balance.