photo credit: Orin Optiglot

One of the defining characteristics of work/life balance revolves around the issue of choice. We all really want the choice to work when we want, where we want and how we want. Or we want the choice to vacation as we wish, go to events that are appealing, or meet up with friends we love.

And, if our life is balanced enough between what we do to make money and then what we do when we spend that money, we feel free. We feel like we’re in control of our lives and careers and that we’re able to do better work and maybe even be better people.

Of course, when we don’t feel like we’re maintaining a healthy work/life balance, we can feel helpless. Out of whack. Frantic. And then we may not be able to do our best work or even live our best life.

There’s a growing body of research that says too many choices are bad for us. Too many choices can be paralyzing, confusing and may actually mean that we make a worse choice. Does this then mean that in order to have a proper work/life balance we should actually not seek to have more choices about how we spend our time? Should I erase the first two paragraphs of this post?

No. Instead, we need to best navigate between the choices that matter and the choices that don’t.

Maybe I think I want a gig that allows me to work from wherever I want. Maybe I like to be able to choose to work from home, a cubicle, a coffeehouse or a moving train. Or maybe that decision doesn’t mean that much to me. After all, no matter what, I’ll still be working. Sure – our environment can have a direct effect on our productivity, but maybe it’s not that big of a deal.

Maybe instead I’d like to be able to choose the kind of work I get to do. Maybe I’d rather be able to choose the clients I get to work with, the kind of marketing campaigns I put together or the kinds of products I sell. Because those choices deal directly with the kind of work I’m doing, they may make the work part of my work/life balance a little better, which could allow me to spend my life time at places I enjoy (like my home, a cubicle, a coffeehouse or a moving train).

As you reflect on your own balance this weekend, think about which choices are most important. Then, begin to build your work around those choices. Take a deep breath when you feel like you don’t have any freedom in certain choices and if possible, dismiss them as unimportant. Or at least let them be sacrificed on the altar of choices that matter.