I learnt a powerful lesson in life recently from a book. The protagonist talks about the five balls we juggle in our lives: work, family, friends, health and integrity. We keep most of them in the air, trying our best not to drop any. Work is the only ball that is made of rubber, and it bounces back. But the others are made of glass … once dropped, they get irrevocably damaged.

We go through life giving more and more importance to our work and career at the cost of our health, relationships and other aspects of life. This simple truth often eludes us until we are forced to face its consequences. The reasons are manifold. The tangible returns that hard work gives us in terms of money or quick recognition is hardly there in other aspects of life. Sustaining a relationship needs some hard work, and sometimes it will seem to be thankless. Health concerns are the last on our mind, until we face some kind of setback on the health front, either our own or that of our loved ones.

The work-life balance in each one of us is different. Almost all of us work to earn money. For most people money is a necessity, and for some it is a means to seek luxury. The amount we earn is also seen as a measure of our success. Sometimes people do take pride in proving to the world that they are hardworking, and this blurs the boundaries of the life beyond work. We tend to let things slide, and it becomes a habit then you start losing yourself and the things that you value; you start to hurt.

To read more on what I had to say, click on the link:

https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/open-page/the-glass-balls-in-our-lives/article6044957.ece

Photo by Ellen Qin on Unsplash