Work-Life Balance is a Fraudulent Claim
Edition #12 of THE BLUEPRINT
Alright, alright, alright, simmer down! I know you have all been waiting for Ed. #12 - so here we go…
Work-life balance is a buzzword that is often misinterpreted and is driving our perception of life negatively.
See, work is defined as an activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a purpose or result. We often attribute this to be negative. This is something we HAVE to get up and do in order to live.
The social view: We work in order to live life.
My claim: We should desire to engage in the work itself. Reap the benefits as they come.
If we take a deeper dive, our brain prioritizes energy over effort because it is wired to conserve. Our resources are finite; we have a limited amount of willpower each day that can be used for mental and physical abilities. This is why habits are so crucial - good or bad, we participate in familiar activities because it is less mentally tasking to do what we already know.
Two ideas that lead to complete disagreement with our current concept of work:
1) The Maker of the Heavens and the Earth worked for 6 days and rested for 1. The 1 day of rest is important, but so are the 6 days of work: this was a conscious effort to create something with intentional design that is creation as we know it. He rested after completing what he set out to do.
2) Our purpose is to create value - and we do so by providing goods and services that fit the market. This takes some work.
The one point I want you to take away from this message:
Work is Good
I want this to be your perception of work - it is not a means to allow you to live life but rather a fulfillment of your purpose. Reminder: your purpose is to create value. So work with intention!
Work doesn’t only exist in your 9-to-5 job. Strong relationships, honing skills, and building knowledge all require intentional effort and focus. Whether it’s your personal life or your career, work is about creating value in all areas. Good things take some work - let’s change the mindset and move forward with a brighter perspective.
Action Steps:
Your current role is providing value - learn to maximize your position!
Right now, consider one activity that you can do more efficiently and tomorrow, apply it.
Consult ChatGPT. This is a prompt I use for some great insight into my situation and ideal ways to improve efficiency. It has helped me to craft systems and schedules to keep myself organized and forward-moving.
*A quick note on ChatGPT: be careful to not include company information, as servers are public
Prompt:
I want you to act as my professional efficiency consultant. My goal is to consistently exceed expectations in my role by optimizing how I work. For any task, project, or responsibility I bring to you, I want you to help me:
Identify the most time-consuming or repetitive components
Suggest methods, tools, or frameworks to complete it in less time without reducing quality
Highlight potential automation or delegation opportunities
Offer tips to make my output more impactful, insightful, or impressive
Keep suggestions concise, high-leverage, and actionable
Here’s my current task/situation: [INSERT TASK, PROJECT, OR STRUGGLE]
What’s the smartest and fastest way to execute it while still delivering top-tier results?
Much love,
Spencer A.
