We have all heard the phrase ‘work-life balance’. And we are all probably sick of it bombarding our algorithms on social media and saturating us with an omnipresence of corporate wellness messages on LinkedIn.
It can sometimes feel like achieving the perfect lifestyle is just another variable to optimise. Whilst the phrase itself encourages us to find a genuine equilibrium between our professional and personal lives, lots of wellness discussion is purely functional, focusing on things like how to sleep better so you can work harder, how to exercise more efficiently so you can work longer hours, or how to take breaks to reduce stress and avoid burnout. Are you going to the gym? You should listen to a business podcast to build your muscles and mind at the same time. Are you going to dinner? You should add new connections on LinkedIn to build your professional network. Your outside life no longer has a value of its own, but becomes instrumental to furthering the work itself.
The problem is that work-life balance in a world of constant optimisation is actually not balance at all. It can increase your efficiency and productivity, which, granted, enhances your overall employability and career progression. However, it loses sight of the bigger picture.
What kind of a person do high-performance careers actually require?
This article will discuss why work-life balance has become so misunderstood, and how to find it in its true sense.
The problem with permanent optimisation culture
When outside hobbies and interests become simply another vehicle to further professional progress, there is no true life outside of work. This is not only sad, but also comes at the detriment of your professional progress: constant productivity can lead to burnout, which narrows thinking and fragments attention spans.
Over-optimisation can also create sameness. Doing the same workouts, eating the same meal prep, and consuming the same podcasts as everybody else reduces your curiosity, broader cultural awareness, and distinctive character as an individual. Trying to maximise output can, paradoxically, cause you to lose qualities that are essential in a successful long-term consulting career.
The narrowness fostered by permanent optimisation culture is counterproductive in a consulting career. The industry rewards people who synthesise ideas, understand people, communicate clearly and build trust – in other words, people who understand human behaviour.
Persuading stakeholders, for example, involves reading the room and adapting your tone to your audience as much as knowing what’s on the slide deck.
Strategic insight relies on breadth of thought as much as technical skills, which are becoming increasingly replaceable in the age of AI.
Finding true work-life balance
True work-life balance is about doing what you enjoy. Activities often dismissed as self-indulgent are not only fun, but often end up shaping professional capability in different ways. Reading literature teaches emotional intelligence and nuance, which are useful in negotiation. Language learning develops patience and listening skills, as well as tolerance for uncertainty. Hobbies strengthen your sense of identity, providing you with confidence at work. Spending time with friends and family rejuvenates you emotionally and allows you to properly relax.
Breadth of character is not something you can just ‘get’ by being constantly productive – it comes from being a well-rounded person. You can cultivate it by having a rich inner life and developing an understanding of human nature. These are things which permanent optimisation culture does not make room for. People entirely defined by work often struggle the most with stress or setbacks. The perspective and resilience that a well-rounded life gives you is not only best for your wellbeing, but also will help you in your long-term career.
Key takeaway
Interpreting work-life balance as an opportunity for optimisation is a short-term way of boosting skills, but will not lead to success in the long run.
Instead, maintaining relationships, interests and curiosity by doing what you actually enjoy will help you sustain long-term motivation.
The strongest consultants are often engaged with the world, interesting to talk to, and capable of independent thought instead of mere machines of productivity.
Allow yourself time to do what you truly enjoy.
India Jordan Jones is a final-year undergraduate student at the University of Oxford, reading English Language and Literature. She is interested in a career in consulting or commercial law and passionate about sustainability and energy matters in business.
Image: DALL-E
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