Harmony and Holidays

I think the more people get back to what makes them happy outside of work, the better off the world will be. Being happy outside of work also helps you accomplish more when you’re at work, because doing things you enjoy with people you enjoy helps you recharge your brain.

There are a variety of ways to improve work-life harmony

For business owners, having the right systems and processes in place will eliminate a lot of wasted time - so you have more hours to spend with loved ones instead of working. I know some consultants who focus on this aspect of the business or the operations.

There are sales trainers who can help you improve your conversion rate, so you spend less time at the top of the funnel and more time closing clients. You can find bookkeepers who will help you understand your finances and make better financial decisions based on your actual numbers. And so on.

Of course, my business is helping people work with their brains instead of against them and using their neurochemistry to their benefit in the workplace. Instead of allowing other people to determine where they spend their time and attention.

Some coaches help business owners figure out what their values really are and what their ideal life would look like, as well as milestones to help them achieve these goals. I know a rest coach (who works a lot with mindset to help people stop feeling guilty about being human and needing rest.) There's a whole event planning field that revolves around retreats where business owners, women especially, can tend to their minds and emotions as well as their physical bodies.

You might need more than one of these services to help you achieve a work-life harmony that works for you in your specific situation. You can also try DIYing it. Or you feel pretty harmonious and don’t need any of these services at all. All good.

The life part is so much more important than the work part in the long run

Yes, we humans tend to be purpose-driven. Most of the entrepreneurs I know want to make a difference in the world with our businesses. I’m passionate about what I do and how I can help others, and I know many others feel the same way.

And yet.

Have you ever read the surveys where people at the end of their lives are asked about what they regret and what they wished they’d done differently? 

None of them said they wished they’d worked more.

Most people regretted not spending more time with their loved ones. They spent too much of their life time working instead of enjoying themselves.

Another big regret was not leading the life that they wanted. Instead, going for something that somebody else wanted or that the culture wanted: married with two point seven kids with house and white picket fence and two-car garage. 

You might want exactly that in your heart of hearts, and it’s OK if you do. Go for it! 

But if not? Don’t do it - make your own path.

While work gives us purpose, especially if we’re mission-driven, that doesn’t mean we have to spend all hours of the day working in or on the business. Take time out for loved ones and hobbies and crafts and friends and hanging out and walking the dog and all those activities that earn you zero money but bring you so much joy.

It’s crazy that so many people only do the life part around the holidays

To be fair, corporate America is not known for generous vacation policies. But business owners can decide to take the whole month off if they want, or go on six vacations a year, or whatever they want to do. You need some systems and communications in place to make it happen, but it’s possible.

So why is it that everyone only sees their extended families during the holiday season? OK, not everybody. Some people live close to their family members and might see them regularly on weekends or have dinner at each others’ houses. But for those of us who aren’t geographically close to the ones we love, why do we wait until the end of the year to see them?

My mother’s family lives in the Midwest, which gets cold and snowy in the winter, and my dad’s family lives near Boston, which … gets cold and snowy in the winter. Everyone should come to SoCal to see me instead! Also traveling is a nightmare around this time, between the weather and the crowds.

Last year I went to a picnic that my mom’s family throws in the summer. I got to meet some relatives I’d never met before. It wasn’t a holiday weekend, so the travel wasn’t a mess and everyone was pretty relaxed because it was summer. A much better trip. 

You don’t have to wait for the winter holidays to decorate either. My mom loved all the holidays, so she had decorations for pretty much all of them. I’m not as much into decorating but I do switch out towels and table linens for the various seasons. And you definitely don‘t have to wait for terrible weather to go visit your far-flung relatives or friends. 

Why wait to bring more joy and harmony into your life? 

Recap (tl;dr)

Work-life harmony can be yours, even if (and especially if) you love your business. But you don’t want to regret having spent so much time on work and so little with loved ones at the end of your life. Don’t wait for the winter holidays to roll around to get in touch with your tribe, whether that’s family of origin or chosen family or a bit of both.

Happy holidays! If you want to be more productive in 2025, you can sign up for my newsletter here.

(Photo by Karsten Winegeart via Unsplash.)