Max

Work Life Balance is overrated A few months out of college when I was working at Morgan Stanley, I grabbed coffee with one of our departments Managing Directors. I asked her about how she achieved ‘Work Life Balance’. She responded with a bewildered look and said: Work Life Balance is not real. She then explained how her husband passed away very young when they had 3 young kids - as a single mom she went on to rise through the ranks into one of the top positions at the bank. She said ‘Don’t separate work vs life, it’s all just life, you have to make do, and prioritize what you care about. As I did it, I never asked myself about ‘Work Life Balance’, never felt bad for myself, I just made it work.’ I have not used the term since and I still get second hand embarrassment that I asked that question. Her point was to stop striving for perfect balance and start striving to make it work. It may be ugly at times where you have to sacrifice to get what you want out of life, but you make it work. Grateful for getting that lesson very early in my career.