On a recent flight, I had an opportunity to read an issue of Poets and Writers which is a publication for , you guessed it – poets and writers. There was a quote that really struck me. “While every professional these days seems to have trouble finding a balance between work and life, the writer’s dilemma is more nuanced: to find a balance between the work one loves and the work that paysÂ. Then today I happened to notice an article in USA Today about the gap in net worth between those in their 50′s and those in their 30′s. The article attributed the difference to the burden of student loans on the younger generation. And yesterday, on another flight, I sat next to young physician on her way to present a paper at a research conference who was lamenting about the student loans that she and her husband (also a doctor) face , the amount equivalent to that of a mortgage on an upscale house. So what do these separate events have in common?
I spend a lot of time in conversation with people in the world of work and I listen to their stories. The stories that I am hearing more frequently have to do with people really not liking what they do and yet feeling trapped by the necessity of paying the bills. Work life balance is a conversation that is heard very often and yet it seems to have a tacit assumption that one balances work (which is often not pleasant) with life (which is supposed to be). And we marvel at those who are fortunate enough to have found work that they enjoy and that allows them to pay the bills. So why can’t we find more satisfaction in our work lives? That is a question that I offer for your consideration.