Work/Life Balance Isn't Healthy for 20-Somethings

20-somethings shouldn’t be worried about working too hard or too much, especially in this economy.

If you like your job, then now is the time to work your butt off so that when you have more life responsibilities (i.e. family) you’ll have more autonomy and scheduling flexibility.  If you don’t like your job, then now is the time to work your butt off so that you can develop the skills to get the job you want.

Work/Life Balance isn’t a healthy plan of attack for 20-somethings.

Let’s say that I’m 24 and I work for company I don’t care about, for a boss I resent, in a town that doesn’t excite me.  I can’t quit cold turkey because I need the money for rent, food, etc.  When my work day ends should I:

a.) Study another industry that gives me more energy.
b.) Hit the Internet and learn about other cities that intrigue me.
c.) Network (in-person or online) with people in said industries and cities.
d.) Grab a drink with some friends so that I can unwind after my stressful day.

A, b, and c require after-work focus, but they will be more satisfying than d.  I won't be able to unwind with one drink.  Instead, I will likely have several drinks, which will make me feel even worse about my unsatisfying existence.  Not to mention, that I’ll drop 20 bucks in the process. 

Similarly, if I go home and watch three episodes of CSI, my stress won’t disappear.  Instead, it will just wait until I claim in bed and then haunt me until I fall asleep.

Look, I understand that, in theory, the Work/Life concept is intended to add fulfillment and depth to life.  It’s about making sure that we carve our time for exercise, volunteer work, and cuddling.  All of that is important.  I get that.  However, I have run across too many 20-somethings who use “work/life” as an excuse to work less, drink more, and play XBOX.

Therefore, I stand by my assertion that Work/Life balance is not something 20-somethings should be worried about.  Instead, my suggestion is to work your butt off until you find a job that doesn’t feel like work.

Think about how relaxed and balanced you’ll feel.

Comments

[Rebecca]

Some people don't want to do extra work and focus though. This is a hard thing for me to accept as I find I have less and less in common with some of my old friends. It's just what happens and we all have different goals and values.

I understand you're writing a post to people who want to have successful careers, because when I write this type of post on my blog, people write similar comments to the one I'm writing now and I just think, yeah, yeah. But it's worth mentioning that because you already get this, you're light-years ahead of most.

[Jennifer]

On my quest to find balance, your entry couldn't have come at a better time. I am a 20 something that is just trying to catch onto the concept of work/life balance. But I am realizing that your concept above is exactly what work/life is all about at this age. Live and learn, eh?

[Luke - Confusion Management]

"Work less, drink more, and play XBOX", when I first read this post I thought here we go, another person telling gen Y to work harder.
But you are right, work/life balance isn't about wasting time after work. For me finding work/life balance now is about setting up more "life" for the future.
Rather than getting tanked every night, I am at work, not my day job, but doing more study which will hopefully allow me to spend more time with friends and especially any future family I have. Rather than being the father who has to work such long hours to provide for a family that never sees him!
Great post, I think you have hit on the essence of what work/life should mean for Gen Y

[Matt Cheuvront]

Jake - these are great thoughts. I wrote about the work/life balance topic a couple weeks ago on my blog, and this really helped to put some things in perspective for me. I am a recent college graduate and have spent about a year now in the 'real' work force. I don't love what I do, I strive to incorporate my life’s passions into the work-day, but in the end, there isn't much balance there.

I think you make valid points in that, at this stage in the game, our generation can't be as concerned with balancing work and life, instead, more effort should be spent working toward a better life, a better future.

But, on a similar note, I think we are starting to see a bridge in the gap between work and life, with the web and the overall negative connotation of 'Corporate America' small businesses are thriving (at least in my neck of the woods). I think it's less about balance outside of work and more about integrating the two together.

Great thoughts - I encourage you to swing by my blog and I look forward to reading more from you in the future!

[Jacob Greene]

Thanks for the comments. I'll definitely check out your blog

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