A Quick Way to Explore Work/Life Balance

My coaching practice presents me with the opportunity to work with leaders in a variety of organizations and industries.  These are leaders at all levels struggling to make a difference in their work and in their lives.  A common thread is the desire to find more “balance.”  (While balance is the popular term, I think it is really more about integration; but, that’s a discussion for another post.)

For most of us, the pace of our lives seems to be escalating at an ever-increasing rate. We are busy at home and work; we are active in the community and support those causes important to us. Most people “want to make a difference in the world.” Yet we often feel like hamsters on the wheel—we’re busy but we’re not sure whether we accomplish a lot.

That’s where the 20-10 assignment comes in. It goes like this: Suppose you woke up tomorrow and received two phone calls. The first phone call tells you that you have inherited $20 million, no strings attached. The second tells you that you have an incurable and terminal disease, and you have no more than 10 years to live. In each scenario, what would you do differently, and, in particular, what would you stop doing?

Think through the 20-10 assignment for your own life. We often focus on what we should start doing; yet, great insights often come from the “stop doing” list.

Let me know if you complete the 20-10 assignment and, if so, what kind of insights you experienced.

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