Photo by Shalom Mwenesi on Unsplash — Photo by Shalom Mwenesi on Unsplash

(Said to the tune of "How do you solve a problem like Maria?")

What does work/life balance really mean? Does it mean equal parts work and equal parts “life”? Does it mean enough “life” to give you energy for all the work? Does it mean a back and forth throughout a week, or work work work work vacation work work work work long weekend work work work work…

I think this can and should look different for different people in different seasons of our lives. When I was in college, I put my classes together in ways that I felt would force me to get up early and start working earlier in my day so that when I started resting, I’d already have work behind me. When I was working for a nonprofit, I took work home with me a lot. I’d work from 9am to 12am some days. It was out of passion and conviction and I wouldn’t take that back. Now, I try to space out my days. Work some hours in the morning, break for lunch and maybe an extra hour for midday errands when traffics slow, and then pick things up in the evening, maybe even after dinner and work again until late at night.

My personality, and the stage of life I’m in, and the way my employment is — these all encourage and enable me to practice work and life the way I am right now. I’m hopeful that having this season will help me carry some healthier practices into the other seasons of my life too, even if I can’t manage my time in those times the same as I do now.

I’m really grateful.

And I’m really in awe of the people I see around me kicking butt and taking names in their own way, their own seasons. Parents who work so hard and raise adorable little humans at the same time — I can’t imagine how I’d change diapers and graphic design right now. Couples who do their own thing and then bring their amazingness together to do even bigger things — that’s just beautiful. People who work multiple jobs to keep life moving smoothly and pave the way to the future they desire — that’s endurance, right there.

I see people who show their vulnerabilities so that others won’t feel alone. People who share how it can be hard to get out of bed and how they do life through that. I see people who seem to always be on the go. People who are always somewhere, saying something, making something happen. I see those worlds collide, too.

Because honestly, no matter what our personalities are — whether we might feel we are more inclined to go go go a little too much or to slow things down a little too much — we all have to go on this journey of finding what balance is and how we can achieve it — and it’s just not easy.

Especially in a world that certainly doesn’t do most of us any favors in that journey.

So this post is a little different than some of the other posts I’ve made lately. It’s really just… what’s been on my mind. No tips or tricks, no answers.

Balance is hard. Priorities aren’t always easy to clearly establish. Sometimes things we really care about don’t get the time and attention we want them to get because there are other things we literally can't avoid giving time to... at least for a while.

My hope for anyone reading would be that you’re able to find ways to make sure your health and wellness are on the top of that priority list though. Yes, we have different seasons in our lives but still, only one life.

Whatever it means for you... I hope you hold a moon beam in your hand. ☀️

What does work/life balance mean to you in this season? Do you see it changing sometime? Tell me about it!