Working Hard or Hardly working?

Is there an in between?

One of my biggest inspirations is a close friend of mine. Not only is she a wonderful person, she is also an ex Olympian athlete who owns more medals than anyone I know and is about to finish a degree that she studied for while training for the biggest event of her life. She coaches children that aspire to follow on a similar path to her and she has raised an impressive amount of money through charity walks and events. A couple of years later and there is still no slowing her down. She, as I write this, is now at her first day of training for an incredible brand new job in a completely new field of work.

She has never missed an important event, birthday or gathering. She has never missed a girl’s holiday or girl’s night in. If there is a way she can make it, even only for a brief time, she will. Last Saturday we sat at hers, ate a large pizza, talked and chilled out and it dawned on me that all I had done that day is watch Netflix back to back and attempted a workout that failed miserably.

I asked her how she managed to do it all. She explained, as we both went in for another slice of pizza, that it can be a lot. To try and fit it all in, but she said because she missed out on a lot of fun time when she was in the Olympic squad, she has even more incentive now to make the most of every situation. And she does it all so humbly.

I’ve always had an internal battle with this. I have had energetically positive periods of time dedicated to my future self and other times when I just want to jump on a plane and live on a deserted island. I believe if there is something that we want to achieve, then of course we should work are butts off to go and get it. Stay focused, gain knowledge and apply our skills and passion to conquer a goal. But, I also believe that it is equally important to really live in the present and enjoy the people that you love and visit the places you’ve always wanted to explore. My friend manages to juggle it all and that is something I truly admire.

I think it’s healthy to have a balance, to have everything in moderation. What can be tricky is finding that balance. Of course there will be times when one side pulls you and demands more from you than the other, but if you are consciously aware of that then you will be more inclined to be mindful of the scales tipping too much to one side for perhaps too long.

If we ask people what truly makes them happy the answers may vary slightly, but one of the things that is universal is to love and to be loved. We love those closest to us and if we are really lucky we get to love what we do for work, we have our vices and our interests and hobbies. Some of us need time alone to reflect or just enjoy our own company. Whatever it is, it’s making sure they all get the attention they deserve and that is what will put you in your happy place for the long haul.