What is the right BALANCE when it comes to living a High Performance Life?
Balance is the key that many of us in life are trying to achieve, right? We strive for balance in our personal lives, our professional lives, and even when it comes to how much we exercise and what we eat.
But why do we insist on a 50/50 split when it comes to balance? Today I want to talk about a few ideas around balance in the hope that one lands with you moving forward and helps you to look at balance in a slightly different way than you may be looking at it now.
When most people think of balance, they envision a 50/50 split. They would spend a good amount of time at work doing reasonable hours, then a good amount of time doing what they love socially or personally with their family and friends. But is the good old 50/50 split really the best way to achieve balance in our lives and, is it sustainable in the long term?
Below I have taken a few rules that are used largely around reaching goals and productivity and applied them to balance
First there is the Pareto Principle, or the 80/20 rule:
This rule suggests that we should spend 80% of our time on our work or goals and 20% of our time on leisure activities or relaxation. While this approach can help us stay focused and achieve our goals, it can also lead to burnout if we are not careful and are unaware of how to manage our energy.
Secondly, we could apply Stephen Covey’s 90/10 Principle:
This rule suggests that we should spend 90% of our time on our work or goals and 10% of our time on leisure activities or relaxation. This approach can help us stay focused and achieve our goals while also allowing us to take some time for ourselves but again using this principle, we have even more chance of burnout if we are not careful.
Finally, we will look at balance with the 100/0 rule.
This rule suggests that we should spend 100% of our time on our work or goals and 0% of our time on leisure activities or relaxation or vice versa, it can also lead to burnout and even faster for some.
And, of course if we change the splits it would mean we would be getting little or no work done at all – 20%, 10% or 0%.
So, which approach is the best? Well, the answer is that it depends on your own personal preferences and goals.
For a High Performer a holistic approach to what we want to achieve. What does this mean? Well, high performance is about maintaining and sustaining long term success BOTH personally and professionally and, to do this –
BALANCE is key. But balance does not need to have a set rule.
I apply parts of these rules daily and balance for me, is not a 50/50 split. So yes, although balance is key, it’s MY version of balance that is the key for me.
This could mean days when it’s 50/50, days when I am taking a holiday it could mean 100 (leisure) and 0 (work) and some days it could be 80/20. That’s my version of balance and that’s what feels great to me.
What balance means at a deeper level for me is that each day (no matter what I’m doing) I check in with myself:
Do I get a little time to myself? (even just10 minutes)
Do I rest and recharge in between tasks?
Do I recognise when it’s getting to much, and then do something to change that?
Do I recognise that my body may need more sleep on a particular day etc.
This is the key to balance to achieve consistent High Performance. It’s being able to recognise what is needed throughout the day to get you living your most vibrant life.
So, if there is one insight I hope you take from this blog it’s that balance does not need to mean 50/50. It’s finding out what works for you, what lights you up and what makes you feel energised and in flow to avoid burnout, and this means different things to different individuals.
This busy time of year people seem to put a lot on their plate, so take this as your reminder to stop, reflect and review daily and find YOUR balance.
If you want to jump on a call to see how you can get some balance back into your life click on the link below and let’s book a chat to connect. I would love to help.
