Why Is Work-Life Balance Important?
There are many professionals, especially in the legal and financial fields, who see long workdays and dedication to their work as a badge of honor. They don’t see why hobbies or fun activities outside work would be valuable – especially since those things certainly don't bring home the bacon! Or at least not at first glance.
This article is really for the workaholics who don’t get the fundamentals of my business – why I help people become more effective so that they don't have to work long hours all the time.
Unless you die at a young age, you are going to have to retire at some point
A lot of people insist that they’ll be working until they die, and that’s just not feasible. Sorry to break it to you. It doesn’t matter if you’ve spent your whole life working in a white collar job and aren’t worried about physical health getting in the way.
Now, I’m not saying you have to retire at age 65 and sit in a rocking chair all day either. There are plenty of people who can work pretty well into their early 70s. But after that, things get a little iffy. (Just look at the two candidates for president. And bear in mind that they’ve had access to far better health care than the majority of Americans.)
The fact is that human brains and bodies decline with advancing age. Studies have shown that your financial abilities start to decline around age 60, for example.
Not only that, but many Americans have had to retire earlier than they planned. The average retiree, according to a Gallup poll, retires at age 61 even though on average they believe they’ll work until age 66. Unplanned retirement is typically due to job loss, outdated skills, or poor health.
If you own your own business you don’t have to worry about job loss, and hopefully you’re keeping your skills sharp! But your health might not allow you to work as long as planned. Especially if you’re so prone to overwork that you skip exercise and/or enough sleep.
Given that you will most likely have some time in which you’re not working but still have use of your brain, what will you do? Those stories you hear about guys (and they’re mostly men) who retire from long, successful careers only to drop dead a few months later are usually the ones who didn't know what to do with themselves when they retired.
You can consult and mentor after you retire, and they’re great things to do. You get to give back to your profession and make sure there are good, well-trained people coming up after you. But you probably won’t be able to consult and mentor all day every day either.
That’s where hobbies and fun activities come in. You can only play so much golf. I’ve heard this from a number of former workaholics who thought they’d just play golf in retirement, so I trust they know what they’re talking about.
Having a healthy longevity requires not only physical activity, but mental as well. Hobbies are great for this. They can also help you socialize. If you spend all your workdays only socializing with colleagues, what happens when you’re no longer a colleague?
Hobbies give you something to be known for other than your work identity
As noted regarding retirement, it can be difficult to know what to do when your entire identity is “Lawyer” and for one reason or another, you’re no longer a lawyer. That doesn’t mean you have to completely change what you do at work, but it can be helpful to add on “who enjoys this and that thing”.
When something happens, then your entire identity doesn’t disappear. There’s more to you than “lawyer”. It’s not always bad health or retirement that could shake your identity, either. A misguided partnership, the death of a child or even a mentor could have an effect.
Having those other activities make you more resilient when “Lawyer” gets hard or impossible for whatever reason.
Taking time out for things you enjoy makes you more effective at work
Yes, I recognize this runs counter to corporate culture. American culture in general glamorizes the hustle and grind and 12-hour days. However, that may work for machines, and your brain is not a machine. It’s not a computer. It’s a very complex living organ that runs on chemical and electrical signals.
While computers and machines may be able to run for 10-12 hours (as long as they’re plugged into some kind of power supply), the human brain isn’t designed to run a heavy cognitive load for that long.
Sure, you can do emails and talk to people and make phone calls all day for hours, because that doesn’t require the specialized system that working with numbers, spreadsheets, complex legal arguments, and so forth do. That system gets tired out pretty quickly (Cal Newport says we get about 4 ½ hours of that a day). After that your performance declines.
Other activities and hobbies, as well as socializing, don’t require that same system. And as long as they’re something you genuinely enjoy, they help your brain recover and recharge from a long and cognitively demanding day. Your brain likes you to do things that you enjoy (in addition to work.)
Sitting around doing nothing (or binge-watching TV) isn’t really that functional from your brain’s perspective. It would rather get creative (paint, write, sculpt, whatever) or make something (woodworking, quilting). Or just have some fun with friends and loved ones.
That’s why hobbies can make you more effective at work. You’re doing something you enjoy, that involves different brain regions, so your brain can recharge. Productivity is like a tank that you fill up with things like hobbies and fun activities (and sleep and exercise, etc.), so topping off your tank at night helps you the next day when you walk into the office.
Want to explore finding a hobby?
If there’s nothing out there that you can immediately think of that you’d like to try, there are a few things you can consider.
What did you like as a kid?
This is a great place to start. Before you went to college and started your career, what kinds of things did you like to do? (Ask your parents or siblings if you don’t remember!) Just remember that you haven’t done it in so long that you’ll be a beginner when you start again.
Your local community center
Practically everywhere I’ve lived has a Parks and Rec department. You might go online or pick up a catalog at your local library (which may also have some interesting classes.) There’s often a lot going on in the summer, even for adults, so if you enjoy the outdoors or a certain sport this could be a good resource.
Your local community college
In addition to the usual college courses, they often have art, history, and recreational offerings. See if any of the listings spark your curiosity.
Once you've found something to try… try it. Put it on your calendar so you know to go home earlier that day (or try a weekend idea) and make sure you have what you need for the activity. Community and college classes will normally provide whatever materials are necessary, but you may need a specific type of clothing or shoes for the activity.
Recap (tl;dr)
If your identity is bound up in your profession, finding hobbies and activities you enjoy can help you weather any crisis that might occur, and help you transition to retirement. It’s counterintuitive, but they also help you be more effective when you’re at work. Try something out in the near future.
Are you looking for a better work-life balance but still want to maintain a thriving and prosperous business? Schedule your free consultation here to see how you can reduce your hours without reducing your income.