It’s that time again to put life and work in perspective
By Leo Valiquette
I’ve referenced before the old joke about the easy-going work-life balance that results from being an entrepreneur. “I can work for only half the day,” says the entrepreneur. “And I get to decide which 12 hours that will be.”
But long hours are certainly not reserved for the start-up of a new business. I’ve worked with clients with professional practices whose emails often bear time stamps of 3 a.m. And in many industries, there is an ebb and flow to the volume of work based on the time of year.
Take, for example, the accounting industry, where the run up to tax season can be insanely busy. I know one accountant who maintains his focus through the daily practice of martial arts. “It gives me the energy to work until midnight when I have to,” he told me. “Instead of losing steam by 8 p.m.”
But there is always the risk of allowing such extreme work patterns to become habit, endangering personal health and relationships outside of the office.
