Intentional Imbalance is the new way of approaching the modern dilemma defined as “work/life balance”.
Instead of treating work and life as separate entities, we need to accept that blending the two is the only way forward.
No longer can we follow old definitions of working life that lock us into rigid patterns. For instance, whose workday starts in the morning, ends right on 5.30pm, and never spills into the weekend?
Spending equal time on major life areas of business, family, hobbies and friends is an outdated myth. This concept of work-life balance in its purest form is not an achievable or sustainable state of being, yet we embark on a constant and frenetic search for it. A futile search that leaves us with a sense of failure, and feelings of guilt and stress. Work and personal life are intrinsically linked. Colleagues become friends and work can actually be fun and rewarding. Most of us now accept, too, that contacting people for work reasons may not be possible within the boundaries of an average working day.
Sometimes we choose to spend weekends writing reports, or catching up on emails away from the distractions at the office. We may decide to intentionally step on the work accelerator, and dedicate more hours to career than friends or family.
At other times work commitments take a back seat and our other interests, including family and friends take precedence.
When we accept these periods in life – where work may dominate or personal time take precedence – as an integral deliberate part of our life plan, we have what we call Intentional Imbalance.
The name suggests that there is intention and that there may not be balance. That is exactly how it is. Intentional Imbalance is all about optimising our time by spending it in an intentional way – a way that enables us to live the life we aspire to.
It takes away any sense of failure, guilt and stress out of the equation because the imbalance is intentional – you are on purpose, you are moving ahead as planned and the bigger picture is unfolding as you intended it would. You can see how today sets the foundation for your future.
KEYS TO INTRODUCING INTENTIONAL IMBALANCE:
- Write a life plan outlining your goals and your intentions for you over time;
- Share it with those close to you;
- Set time frames for how long certain imbalances will last;
- Refer to your plan to make decisions about what you should focus on;
- Ditch the guilt about never achieving work-life balance;
- Harness the new energy that comes with being on purpose.
Opening Gates is recognized as Australia’s leading program teaching Intentional Imbalance – this new approach to work and life. Hundreds of people from office workers and entrepreneurs to leading CEO’s and industry authorities have followed the Opening Gates path to find all-round satisfaction through creating Intentional Imbalance.