Oct 10, 2018/by Matt Wanderer
Work-Life Balance: Finding my way back to the 4F’s
We live in a world where the work never stops, putting in extra time to win in our careers is normal We know from major research that in order to be exceptional in any given field you need to put in serious extra time and likely pull all-nighters. Statistics state that in order to be good at something you need to put in 10,000 hours!! So, yea, working is a part of life and a component of being successful. But when is it too much? When is it counterproductive and when is it just plain dumb?? I’ve seen a lot of people who so focused on their careers that they overwork themselves, they burn themselves out, they fail at work and they fail at home, finding that balance is everything
Like I try to do in business every day, I want to lay my challenges out there and be honest about how hard its been to find work-life balance lately, it’s hard, sometimes it feels impossible the pressure to keep up with 2018 and maintain one’s sanity and a healthy lifestyle is a daily challenge. To keep it simple and easy I try to remember what I call the “Four Fs” Family, Friends, Fitness and Finance.
A long time ago I made a personal decision that no matter what, family comes first. hard to be fully present with my eye on the right stuff at home my mind constantly wants to hustle and work especially now in crunch time for the Carie launch!! But I when I’m with my family, I am trying my best to be PRESENT at the moment. Turn off the phone, ignore some email, miss a few texts, it’s all still there in an hour or two when we check back in. Just do what you can to soak up the moments with my kids, my wife, my dog.. watching them grow, and enjoying the little things in life as much as possible.
Next, There’s no way to overstate the importance of having quality time with a good friend. Making time to nurture real friendships is important to me. Although I’m constantly busy I t make time to see them, to chill out and, just catch up on life, reminisce on old stuff, dream about new stuff…. To really belly laugh is the greatest “refresh” button I’ve found.
Third, In order to really have a balanced life, you definitely need your “me” time. Fitness, for me, is my “me” time. I try to completely zone out and enjoy my workouts. Not only that, but I feel like working out is also my therapist. Here, I let my anger out, I brainstorm, I get new ideas. It is extremely fulfilling to be able to get an all-around benefit. Health should be our number one priority.
Lastly, At the end of the day, what ties it all back in this big crazy wonderful and expensive world, is Finance. We all have to work, we all have to pay the bills, that relentless pull of dollars from your wallet is never really gonna ease up, so we stay on our business, try to be smart with our money and try to find peace with the long-term marathon that we have to plan to win.
What is your work-life balance method? always on the hunt for a better way!