40 min
Debunking the Work-Life Balance Myth How People Work
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- Business
For many of today’s employees, it is no longer possible to separate work and life the way we used to. Emails fill our inboxes after hours, our homes have become our offices, and we carry notifications from bosses and colleagues in our pockets at all times.
The notion of “work-life balance” has therefore little resonance for the modern workplace.
But is that a bad thing?
In this episode, Jordan and Jason argue that work and life have the same aim (fulfillment) and therefore should be seen as two means of reaching the same end. They urge listeners to move from a work-life balance mindset to the “66% of time” mindset—a view that allocates eight hours a day (or one third of life) to sleep and the other two-thirds of time to seeking fulfillment in and outside of work.
Key ideas and highlights:
Some of the best parts of life happen at work—milestones achieved, skills developed, & relationships formed
For employees that work from home or from a computer, work no longer has the built in limits that it did in the past
The “66% of time” mindset: life can be split into two groups of time. One third is dedicated to sleep and the other two thirds, or 66%, is available for seeking fulfillment.
What do we do with the 66% of time we’re not sleeping? The values that you hold highest should fill all of the time that you’re not sleeping. It’s not a matter of whether I’m at work or at home. The things I’m aiming for—purpose, flourishing, meaning—are the same. — Jason Murray
Word of the day: Anachronistic ✨
Chapters:
(0:00) Intro
(7:22) The misplaced assumptions behind the notion of work-life balance
(8:36) Debunking the work/life balance myth
(12:01) Why work and life don’t have to compete with one another
(14:26) How the history of work has shaped how we think about work
(18:56) What the work used to have built-in limits
(22:22) Where people are seeking community
(29:14) Moving to a “66% of time” mindset
(30:53) Why “fulfillment” is a better aim than work/life balance
(35:00) The role community plays in staving off fear and anxiety
(38:54) The key to making work more meaningful
Learn more about how you can retain employees and reduce the costs of your people programs with Fringe.
For many of today’s employees, it is no longer possible to separate work and life the way we used to. Emails fill our inboxes after hours, our homes have become our offices, and we carry notifications from bosses and colleagues in our pockets at all times.
The notion of “work-life balance” has therefore little resonance for the modern workplace.
But is that a bad thing?
In this episode, Jordan and Jason argue that work and life have the same aim (fulfillment) and therefore should be seen as two means of reaching the same end. They urge listeners to move from a work-life balance mindset to the “66% of time” mindset—a view that allocates eight hours a day (or one third of life) to sleep and the other two-thirds of time to seeking fulfillment in and outside of work.
Key ideas and highlights:
Some of the best parts of life happen at work—milestones achieved, skills developed, & relationships formed
For employees that work from home or from a computer, work no longer has the built in limits that it did in the past
The “66% of time” mindset: life can be split into two groups of time. One third is dedicated to sleep and the other two thirds, or 66%, is available for seeking fulfillment.
What do we do with the 66% of time we’re not sleeping? The values that you hold highest should fill all of the time that you’re not sleeping. It’s not a matter of whether I’m at work or at home. The things I’m aiming for—purpose, flourishing, meaning—are the same. — Jason Murray
Word of the day: Anachronistic ✨
Chapters:
(0:00) Intro
(7:22) The misplaced assumptions behind the notion of work-life balance
(8:36) Debunking the work/life balance myth
(12:01) Why work and life don’t have to compete with one another
(14:26) How the history of work has shaped how we think about work
(18:56) What the work used to have built-in limits
(22:22) Where people are seeking community
(29:14) Moving to a “66% of time” mindset
(30:53) Why “fulfillment” is a better aim than work/life balance
(35:00) The role community plays in staving off fear and anxiety
(38:54) The key to making work more meaningful
Learn more about how you can retain employees and reduce the costs of your people programs with Fringe.
40 min