Work life balance is something we strive for on a regular basis. But for many, it ends up being another part of the eternal “To Do” list, which pretty much defeats the purpose. Recent research has shown that people who maintain some connection to work while on vacation actually feel less stressed. Now there are times when completely disengaging from all work obligations is necessary but there is also something to be said about knowing that you won’t have an avalanche of emails and paperwork to return to that will keep the time away more relaxing and rejuvenating.
A different way of looking at the whole situation is to see your life as an expression of how you serve and how you feel fulfilled by how you serve. So the key here is to shift into asking yourself, what will feed your energy around serving? Does alone time to just read a book give you back what you need to then engage with the other parts of your life more fully? Is spending time with family integral to managing the stresses of time on the job or vice versa? Questions like these can help you look at your big picture. Just know that as with any shift, you may have to ask yourself those questions at least a few times to feel comfortable with the answers and even more importantly see the new path that then clears itself for you follow.