Balanced Life Wheel
For a few years now I have been trying to balance my life better. It used to be largely all work, then all leasure, then all kids (and immediate family), and then work + kids. I have never been good at balance, I think I have an addictive behaviour.
Anyway, about 6 months ago I got a post-it note and drew a circle and split it into four quarters and wrote down four items that I thought I needed to concentrate on to have a happily balanced life. Since then it has been growing and growing, showing me that to have a truely happy balanced life I need to make time for a lot of things! Here is the list I have come up with to date…
- Family time
- Time with Rachel (wife)
- Time with Children
- Time with friends
- Time alone
- Work (Vibe Capital, Minti, ineedhits, Gooruze)
- Admin (Finances, cash flow management)
- Excercise
- Spend time outdoors
- Hobby (Movies)
- Be well rested
- Healthy Diet
- Education/Learning
It is impossible for me to fit all of these into a single day, so I try and spend some time on each item each week.
Feedback?
- What do you think I have missed?
- Do you try balance your life?
- Is your life completely out of balance?
- When you are running a start-up is it even possible to have life balance?
- When you have a young family is it possible?
- Is this just a crock of shit?
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I also struggle with the balance as u mentioned and I think people that are drawn to start-ups/technical fields (myself included) are addictive by nature.
I remember my wife asking me why I would never miss a night class for a recent tech course but would routinely miss gym sessions on a weekly basis. I really struggled to answer her and couldn’t even give myself a satisfactory answer! I think sometimes our natural behaviours aren’t logical and mastering one’s self, is a life long journey.
What do you think I have missed?
Health. I know u had physical (exercise) but I think diet also needs time. What we eat today – walks and talks tomorrow.
Do you try balance your life?
Yes – however only successful in patches.
Is your life completely out of balance?
At times – evidence to me by restless sleep and cravings for comfort foods.
When you are running a start-up is it even possible to have life balance?
In the past I would have said no, but now after 5+ yrs experience with a few
I would say you can’t do it without balance. I remember Andy Grove, Kent Beck stating that anything of substance takes 25+ years. There is a difference between “a start-up” and your life’s work.
When you have a young family is it possible?
I still have this ahead of me in next few years. My approach at least with a start-up you have freedom – freedom to make your own future.
Is this just a crock of shit?
Good point – maybe – with too much luxury we start navel gazing and worry about balancing ‘pleasures’. Is this really a dilemma? – many would say WTF?
P.S. I enjoy following your blog/twits, so thanks for them.
@Ryan – lots of good points there. I will add “healthy diet” to the list – this is super important and one which I am only just starting to get into again after 18 months of bad food!
@Ryan – also – agree 100% that to ‘last the distance’ in business you need a balance. I have been in this game for 12 yrs now and you can burn out real quick. However, if you are young (no mortgage, no family etc) and it is your first start-up I think the best results are more often than not achieved by being addicted to the business for the first few years. Sometimes this is required to punch through the barriers, but don’t lose sight of one day trying to achieve balance in your life.
I am going to borrow #9 for my list and suggest one to you – Education/Learning.
Gotta keep the brain healthy too!
@Dawn – Great suggestion. Very true, and it is one that I have certainly let suffer over the past 5 yrs! I am adding it now… we are up to 13! :s
Great post. I found it very relevant to my wife and I, as we’ve just launched a family travel startup called trekaroo.com. With two kids and both of us working, it’s been difficult to balance everything. I think at the start, I philosophically believed that I wanted to spend more time with my family and that I wouldn’t be the typical startup never sleep kind of a guy. It hasn’t turned out quite as easy as that, as I’ve worked more hours, longer, and harder than ever before. All that being said, I do sincerely want to think that one can achieve work life balance and still be successful in business. After all, what’s the point of having a family 2.0 startup if you don’t spend any time with your spouse and kids? As long as you get the appropriate amount of everything in, you should be okay. Sometimes certain things have to wait for a while though (exercise?)
, but I find that relationships should always take priority.
I think it’s idealistic and unfortunately, we live in a realistic world. So I say, cut yourself some slack. Go with the flow. If you’re in the moment, whatever that moment might be, enjoy it! Plan, but realise that plans are just that plans. When they happen on time, celebrate. When they don’t, change them. Life is too short to be all business and too short to not be business focused, if you get what I mean. Too often we want the benefits without the work, but unfortunately, they are usually attached to each other, so it’s a matter of lowering the goal post or being prepared to sacrifice time with family and friends etc to achieve the bigger picture.
It just would be sad to think that you had a child, you had a plan, you are working that plan, with the intention of going hard for a few years, then kicking back to enjoy your child and in the meantime, that child died and you didn’t get the chance to kick back and enjoy them. Sometimes I think it’s okay to be mediocre and to just enjoy the day you are given with what you are given and with whom you are given it, instead of always having to to strive for that something that always seems to be just over the hill.
Oh well, back to work for me, LOL. 10:49pm on a Sunday night!
@Hayley – You raise a very interesting and timely point (pun not intended). I have been thinking about “being in the present and enjoying ‘now’” a lot recently and I actually planned to blog about it today and then was spun out to your your comment. I agree with a lot of what you have said. Hopefully my next bog post will mirror a lot of what you have said.
PS – Just checked out your site. My wife will find it very interesting, I will forward it on to her.