Work + Life = Harmony
Recently I came across an article with Satya Nadella about his perception that success in life is not about work life balance but more about work life harmony. This struck a chord with me (don’t worry there are plenty more puns to come). Work and life are things that people have tried to keep away from each other but to anyone who reads this, knows how tightly they are linked. When I have a bad day at work, it affects me after I get home and vice versa. Similarly, when I am charged up and firing at work, things at home go smoother. I am more willing to do the dishes and help.
I break things down a little more and see it as Work/Family/Health balance. Working long and hard, it’s easy to be in debt to your family and health. Similarly, by working hard and taking care of the family can lead to us not taking time for ourselves and our health. Sadly, this is the most likely scenario that I have seen.
It is possible to have what you need in all three, there are people that do it but only when one complements the other.
There are a few major reasons I think this is a better way to approach the problem.
Notes must harmonise together.
Two or three notes playing all on their own do not work as a piece. They clash into each other and create an awful experience. They can not all be the same note and not just any note will do. They have to be specific tones, some higher and some lower to create a synergy that makes them all sing.
Life requires tuning
Every tune has a unique combination of elements that make it work and attractive to a particular audience. It has a beat, rhythm and melody. We can use these to think about work and life harmonising together.
- What beat (speed) are you operating?
- Is it too fast or too slow?
- What rhythms happening in your life? Are there any?
- Are you practicing them well so when they come around again you can play them flawlessly?
Whatever your preference, you will need to pay attention and tune the pegs on your work and life, plucking the strings and experimenting until you find the sound for you.
One other point is that without regular attention, your harmony will fall out of tune. That is why it is important to take the time to spend in each field and listen to what is going on. Neglect in one space will eventually lead to all suffering.
Everyone has their own taste
The most important thing to realise about music is that everyone has their own taste. Everyone has a preference that fits in with them and their personality. Some people like the fast-paced beat of Drum and Bass, some like the energising focus of Metal and some like the chilled out progression of acoustic.
Similarly, in life you must choose the song you want to dance to.
