Work-Life Balance, Inner Narratives, and Rules
August 29th, 2024
NOTICING AND WONDERING
Someone asked me recently, “How intense is startup?” and I said, “It’s a lot. I work non-stop but I love building Groops, and it is what is required at this stage.” It helps that one of my core values is meaningful work.
Although it is hard to say (I’m practicing “professional vulnerability” here), I notice that what I teach in class is different than what I do in the reality of building a startup.
In class, I cite the studies that demonstrate the impact of work-life balance on companies and people, yet I find myself working from early in the morning until late into the evening, most days. There is a lot that has to get done on a startup budget which requires me to do much of it.
It is the nature of startup, I think. It is the nature of startup, I hear in the ecosystem.
It made me wonder, are there industries or developmental stages of companies where what we know about work-life balance does not fit? It made me wonder, although I preserve space for others to have better boundaries, how do I reconcile how much time I spend working as it does set the tone? It made me wonder, is it better to rest and run longer when you are competing in the race of time, or is it best to sprint, hustle, and push as hard as you can until you reach the end - but what is the end? If you love it, does the narrative change?
I do not know the answer here - but I wonder what narrative you tell yourself about work and how it shapes how you feel, how you work, and the impact on the business? How do you balance the needs of the business and the needs of the humans building the business?
A QUOTE TO THINK ABOUT
“This is the real secret of life— to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realize it’s play.”
A DEEP-ish QUESTION (or Three)
How do you define work-life balance for yourself? For others?
Does the narrative ever change? If so, when and why?
How does this narrative impact you, others, and the business?
SOMETHING TO TRY
It is much easier to add positive behaviors into your life rather than remove negative ones. If “putting the pencil down” with work is hard, schedule important priorities in the morning. Nobody ever gets to the end of the day and thinks, “Wow, I have so much leftover time.” So, make a list of important priorities for you and schedule time as early in the day as possible to accomplish just one. Block that time fiercely.
ANNOUNCEMENT
We just opened up Groops for Emerging Coaches and Leaders to the public (not just companies)! People often ask, “How can I learn more about coaching?” and “How can I be a better leader by learning more about myself and coaching?” So, we built it. Our first cohort filled in 3 days but we opened others. Click below to get more information.
Keep on connecting.
Best,
Bobbi
Bobbi Wegner, Psy.D.
Founder and CEO of Groops: helping teams feel and function their best
Lecturer at Harvard University in Industrial-Organizational Psychology
If you are curious about a workplace dynamic or issue, send me an email at [email protected] and I will anonymously post it and respond. If you are thinking it, others are too. We can learn from each other. Also, if you are curious about the cohesion and health of your team, book a complimentary 30-minute consultation HERE with one of our Groop Guides.