Answering "How do you find your own work-life balance? and a piece of advice for others.."

As it comes to my balance, I balance my personal and family life, along with my professional (that too in two directions - in technology, and in writing) demands - using following concepts -

CONCENTRATION

Professionally, as I consult at higher level with SMBs, there are times when I am needed more - like when I work with a new business, or they get a new customer etc.

In between there is less load that I take at that front, and spend time in writing, and try to explore the creative height in it.

So I balance both directions.

I try not mixing things too much - that can dilute quality - so, I take one thing at a time.

DISCIPLINE

Also at personal and family level, I define the same discipline.

I prefer not working on professional stuff, when it is the family and ME time (like evening and weekends), and give it all my full attention.

Further, if there are events to be attended, during my family time, I try balancing it with the quality time spend with family, and on self before and after those events and assignments.

I just follow the simple discipline, and keep associated people informed of it.

Detailed and Informed PLANNING

Further, I always keep my eye open for what area of life is legging behind and try prioritising it as I plan (weekly and monthly) - and then just follow my plans, with limited flexibility.

I try touching upon all important aspects of life, instead of just digging deep in one, that is planned with the maximum overlapping time with associated people in all areas - I live and work with.

As a piece of advice -

I once wrote -

“Life has four important pulls - Live, Evolve, Create and Nurture. The struggle lies in figuring out a way to balance these pulls - that's what is the common and of interest between all of us - and that's what is LIFE”.

- and this is my ‘mantra’.

Now to explain, here -

‘Live’ is related to self (for example, health, finance, hobbies etc).
‘Evolve’ is related with whatever we do professionally and intellectually - and contribute back to the world (mankind) in some or the other way.
‘Create’ is related to the expansion of family, relationships, having a child etc., and one has to see it as an expansion of self, than just having other human beings around.
‘Nurture’ is related to maintaining what all one owns or is associated with - may be it, people, materials, skills etc.

As part of balancing one has to see if he is able to touch upon all of these or not, and divide his time for all of these.

Further, based of his abilities, he could be best in everything, or good in everything, or average in everything - and that is the balance for him. Imbalance comes if he is best in one, and poor in rest/other.

I further advocate, self-competition and self-satisfaction.