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| less than a minute read

The problem with work-life balance

The concept of work-life balance implies that work is bad and life is good; it suggests that work and life are two dichotomous entities that need to be strictly separated and kept at an equilibrium; for some, it even insinuates that less work equals more happiness.

Of course, experts have tried to invent new terms to describe the modern reality of our entangled lives: work-life integration, work-life fit, work-life synergy… But these are semantics, playing with words to hide the basic flaw of considering an outdated vision of work as fundamental to a happy life. So, what’s the alternative?

 

You may think what you want of Jeff Bezos, but he clearly articulates one of the issues with work-life balance: “That’s a debilitating phrase because it implies there’s a strict trade-off. And the reality is, if I am happy at home, I come into the office with tremendous energy. And if I am happy at work, I come home with tremendous energy. It actually is a circle; it’s not a balance.”

Tags

mental health, mindfulness, work-life, living, balance, english, highlight

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