LIFE/WORK BALANCE – IS IT WORKING FOR YOU?
Are you an -aholic? Whether you’re a workaholic, shopaholic, alcoholic, it doesn’t matter because it’s all about the extremes in one area and it can apply to anything.
As writers we can become so focussed on our stories that we barely come up for air and I get that! The whole notion of -aholic came to me when I was thinking about someone very close to me and how their career was impacting on this person’s life. Over the years I’ve known many -aholic’s and/or career driven people both in the corporate and non-corporate world. Writers are career driven also, but are often overlooked as many people see ‘writers’ as hobbyists. A lot of writers have more than one job, as writing often does not pay the bills, while juggling so many balls one of them is bound to drop.
Remember the old adage ‘don’t forget to stop and smell the roses’. Yeah, yeah, whatever, but hey, if we don’t have balance in our life what do we have? If we don’t make time for family, friends, music and books and films and travel and hobbies and the cat or dog, or whatever it is that rocks your world –then you simply forget how important these things are. You forget why you feel so tired, forget why your heart doesn’t sing like it used to, forget how something as simple as a walk by the ocean or listening to music you love can fill everything up in your soul to brimming and overflowing. 
When we become invested in the extremes we can do all of the above AND not even notice. You’ve heard the saying ‘Live in the moment’ well really, you know it’s damn true. We need to keep plugging away at our careers, follow our passions and work bloody hard to achieve our goals. But don’t make the mistake of falling out of love with life.
I’ve been there and visit often, so I know how easy it is to lose track of the simple but some of the most valuable things in life.
Here’s my top five ways to avoid the –aholic behaviour:
- Walk by the sea or in the bush. Don’t think about anything… Get lost in your surroundings. You will be amazed at what you will find.
- Listen to music. Don’t think about anything but the soul of the music, how does it make you feel? Take notice of anything that comes up for you and take the appropriate action.
- Move – Dance – run – walk – Move. Leave self consciousness at the door. Once you do – Wow! something new and wonderful opens up inside your heart. I bet you can’t watch this video and not smile and want to dance!
- Read. A poem, a book, or a page. Read between the lines, capture the texture of the words and let them fill your heart.
- Watch a movie. A genre you absolutely love and think of nothing but what you are seeing, hearing and feeling as each frame unfolds. Be immersed in nothing else.
It’s all about the doing and being in the moment of that doing. We all watch films, listen to music while we drive concentrating on the road, read books while mentally taking down our ‘to do list’ for tomorrow, walking but watching the clock so we’re back in time for whatever. Dancing in our lounge room where god forbid no-one will see how clumsy and awkward we really are. Watching the movie and thinking about all that has to be done when it finally finishes.
What are you top five things that you do to get out of your head or break -aholic cycles – what works for you? I would love to hear from you.
Midnight rambler listening to the wind outside. Just listening to the wind 
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The Aurealis Awards are almost upon us and the nominees have been announced and what a great line up. I’m very excited and proud to be a part of such a rich and diverse writing community.
