Career can be defined by most as what we do for work every day, so we can pay our bills and take care of our families. However, for some, career is also the path where talents, passion and contribution to the world happens. 

It is true that we all spent most of our time at work or pursuing our career. Actually, some statistics say that we spend more than 90,000 hours of our lives working. So, it must come with no surprise that your health – physical, mental, spiritual – can be drastically affected by what you do every day. 

A balanced career approach will allow you to lead a fulfilling professional and personal life, a fact that is extremely important for your overall wellness. Thus, it becomes crucial to know how to set boundaries at work and in your business so that you always take good care of yourself.

To check where you are on this, spend some time now and take a closer look to what you do:

• Do you have a career that is passion-driven?
• Do you create boundaries for rest, grounding, and being balanced in other areas of your life? 
• If your job is more of a functional part of your life, how do you find passion and fulfillment in other areas of your life? 
• How do you set boundaries so that nurturing relationships and self-care gets the attention they deserve?

Career and Balance

The Career element can be a tricky one to balance in life, but it is also an element with a high level of rewards.

Although it might depend on the age, the upbringing or the circumstances of an individual, most of us desire to create a work-life balance, in the best ways that we can. No matter whether you love your career, or you hate it, it’s important to find wellness and fulfillment in your life. And since careers often take up so much of our time and energy, they can become all-absorbing if we’re not careful. 

Just remember that your career is about work and effort, but it doesn’t have to only be about that. 

If your work life is stressful and feels negative, it can be hard to thrive in relationships, eat healthfully, and sleep well. The impact of your career on your life is strong and you must ensure that it purposefully formed and executed. 

You can figure out how to bring in the purpose and passion, in ways that work for your lifestyle and needs. Remember, it’s always about working toward that balance that brings well-being.
Here are a few ideas on how to get started in thinking of your Career in a more wholistic way: 

1. Evaluate your current job

Take some time to really sit with your current job and the career path you’re following. Contemplate how your current relationship with your work feels:

• Do you enjoy what you do for work?
• Is there anything about it you wish you could change?
• What steps could you take to make a change?
• Are there ways you could re-balance your relationship with what you do for work?

2. Explore alternate career paths

Oftentimes, the busyness of life can sweep us in directions we didn’t intend to go. So, it is not rare to find people ten or more years into a career they didn’t consciously choose and don’t really find meaningful. The good thing to know, though, is that It’s never too late to make things a little different and change the outcomes that are not desired! Where can you start from? 

• Do a brainstorming session with yourself and make a list of other things that you would like to do. Note at least 10 ideas. The more you contemplate them, the closer to making them a reality will feel. 
• From the above list, choose 1 or 2 things that really makes you feel motivated, expanded, happy. What is the first step you could make, today, towards activating those points? 

3. Make time for other passions

While it’s great to be passionate about work, it’s important to not become a workaholic. Life is big and beautiful, full of amazing things to discover and enjoy. Taking good care of yourself means making sure you don’t only do work.

Let go of time wasters that aren’t bringing you joy, and dive into interests you’ve always wanted to try. Maybe there’s an instrument you’ve always wanted to play, a language you wanted to learn, or a skill you’ve always wanted to master. Find ways to build a meaningful life beyond your career. It will improve your well-being in important and expansive ways.

4. Do a 360 check.

Ensure that other elements of your life – relationships with romantic partner, kids, family, friends, others, finances, sleep, rest, food etc.- are in balance and not negatively impacting your career. For instance, you might notice that perhaps your sleep is challenged and affecting your performance at work. Or maybe your relationships need some work, so you don’t feel emotionally distressed throughout the day.

Finding balance consciously will impact all areas of your life. The more that each element comes into balance, the more that others can also balance out.

Thus, start today by considering the following:

• Is your career complementing and fulfilling your life and purpose the way you want it to? 
• Have you allowed for enough space, so that everything in your life is the way you desire?

Do not compromise. Even if these thoughts need some time to be sorted out, to start thinking of them today is a big movement forward.