# 72 (2013) Where Work Ends and Life Begins

Many of us struggle with the work life balance. And there are those of us who struggle with the work - career - home balance.

After a year of running my own business full time I am conceding temporary defeat and looking for more reliable work. But I still have to honour my business committments and I'd hate to sacrifice it all solely for the 9 - 5 which is a mistake I have made in the past and ALWAYS regretted.

But if I'm doing the 9 - 5, where does that leave my business dream? And where does that leave everyone else in my life? How do you get a three-fold balance to work? Can it work? And when do you call it quits and simply be thankful for any paid employment you can get even if you may well end up turning around in 15 years and wondering what the hell you were doing with your life.

I don't have the answer. I'm sure some people do. This will be the second time I have visited this way of working. And the last time my life existed for the 9-5 and the career dream and little else. Now I am a bit older and have other interests to enjoy and people in my life who I don't want to exclude I don't want to be a slave to the grind all day every day.

It's not an easy balance.

# 39 How many courses can you eat at once?

Every so often we all need time out. Whether it's that twice yearly week in the sun, or a midlife crisis involving 3 weeks on a bender every night. It's all about adjustment, mindset and knowing yourself.

I have a standard format. I work work work, then crash, then I generally go on a music and alcohol induced bender and I'm fine again. But people sometimes think I'm losing the plot. It's all about knowing how you tick.

One at a time please!

I know what my pattern is so I don't panic when I go off the rails because I know it is part of my coping strategy and I'll soon be back to my default setting. I've been telling one or two friends about it and I've had some interesting perspectives on similar coping strategies from friends who have a whole different set of issues to mine.

Compartmentalisation is one of my key words for sorting things out though. The overall picture can be scary, dividing it up turns it into an evening in a restaurant. I'll explain...

If every course came at once you wouldn't know where to start, you'd be jumping from plate to plate. But when the courses are brought to you one at a time you can focus and you only have one thing to deal with at a time. Typically, multiple courses will turn up at once and some of them I won't want, but I still have to eat them because that's life. And that's when the coping strategy sometimes needs to be implemented.

Not everyone needs it of course. But sometimes coming up for air when your work schedule is hectic and it crashes headlong into a personal life you didn't know you had can prove to be quite a juggling act.