Balance:
a state of equilibrium or equipoise; equal distribution of weight, amount, etc.

When people discuss work-life
balance, I always envision a two-sided scale with the time and effort devoted
to “work” on one side and “life” (everything else) on the other.

Each item is discrete (it has a beginning and an end,
a value, a priority, and a definitive label).

Something can’t be both
“work” and “life” at the same time.

One side’s gain is always
the other side’s loss.

Personally, balance doesn’t
work for me. It’s too confining.

I prefer blending.

Blending:
to mix smoothly and inseparably together.

Where balance is discrete,
blending is continuous.

The process is continuous and
the ingredients become continuous once added to the mix.

Why can’t we approach the
allocation of our time and energy, as we would a recipe we’ve tried that has never
been recorded anywhere?

We have a general idea of how
it should taste, but we vary ingredients to find the right mix.

As our tastes change over
time, ingredients may be added, removed, or used in a different amount.

Blending requires us to be
open-minded and willing to experiment, reflect, and adjust.

It also requires us to
listen.

If the blend isn’t working
for us, or the “critical” people around us, then we vary the recipe until the right
blend is achieved.

Relationships are the
first place I noticed blending.

When I look at the people
with whom I spend time I find it difficult to label my relationships with most
of them.

Are they my friends, family,
associates, co-workers, mentors, or protégés? One person may be all of those things – even at the same time.

Blogging is another place
I’ve felt “blended”.

Am I blogging for business,
as a hobby, for fun, to meet people, or for professional development? Yes.

The same effort produces
different outcomes that balance would require us to place in separate buckets.

For me, imagining that all
of the aspects of my life mix together to form different results at different
times is comforting.

Which do you prefer –
balance or blending?

There isn’t really a right
or wrong answer. What works for you?