These are the 10 evil heads of the modern day Urban man.
This Dussehra – May you be able to burn these to ashes today and reclaim the lost glory & May you find happiness and peace within.
With best wishes and with you in the above attempt – SriShyStuti.
Work is defined as ‘an activity involving mental and/or physical effort done to achieve a result’.
Life is defined as ‘the condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter, including the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death.’
Balance in noun form is defined as ‘an even distribution of weight enabling someone or something to remain upright and steady’ OR ‘a situation in which different elements are equal or in the correct proportions.’
Balance in verb form is defined as ‘put (something) in a steady position so that it does not fall.’
What happens when you try to put these together aka ‘Work-Life Balance’?
For most, it is chaos. And Chaos is defined as complete disorder and confusion.
Why is it so?
In earlier ages, only LIFE existed and has evolved as defined.
The only ‘result’ living things wanted to achieve was to feed themselves so they can continue ‘living’. And if that was a result oriented physical/mental activity, it can be termed as work. However, that WORK was for them. And time of the day or day of the week did not matter. That result of feeding oneself (including immediate family) had to be achieved.
When ‘society’ was first formed and there was an added layer of obligation for the stronger to support the weak, is when it was first looked at as ‘work’. When you do it for yourself, it’s just not ‘Work’ but the minute the result is achieved for others, the chemical composition within undergoes a change. However, one would still do it because society was looked at as an extended family in that era. Be it feeding or protecting.
However, in modern times, for majority of the population, ‘work’ is done strictly for others. We engage in mental and physical activity to achieve results for others. And here is where the very need for balance comes into play.
Now is when ‘how many hours in a day’ and ‘how many days of a week should I work for others’ matters. We have gone way beyond the realm of survival/existence into the realm of luxury and comfort. We choose to trade our effort and time in exchange of supposed comfort.
And the conflict arises when we attempt to do it our way.
Obviously the one who pays us to achieve their results is focused on results and is least bothered about the coveted ‘balance’ we are chasing.
Is that wrong? Can we be judgmental about that? If we try to address this superficial question, we will only end up complicating life beyond repair, which probably is the case already.
However, all hope is not lost. It’s a matter of looking within and answering the right questions.
No right answers, but answering the right questions – And that ‘to each – his own’.
Happy Discovering!
Sriks (Who else?) 