Work Life Balance

Seven or eight years ago, when my kids were much younger, I attended an offsite.

One of the speakers was a organizational psychologist who spoke on "work life balance".

Although I didn’t know it at the time, it was an issue that I was really struggling with, having just started Flatiron, wanting badly to prove myself to my partners and investors, and also struggling with a family – three young kids and a wife.

The speaker said something that really shook me up.  He said, "if you don’t connect deeply with your kids before they turn teenagers, you never will".  My kids were probably seven, five, and two at the time.  I loved them deeply and the idea that they’d turn away from me when they grew up scared me.

So I made a point to "conect with them", them being the entire family, including my wife.

Why do I tell you this?

Because Brad Feld has a great post, one of the best he’s ever done, up on his blog right now about work life balance.

Brad tells an even scarier story (and I knew Brad back then and its true).

But he also gives his four five point plan which is similar to a less formal approach that The Gotham Gal and I have used for years with great results.

I love entrepreneurs who work like crazy, but I also like to see a balance in their lives to keep things stable.  Brad’s plan is a good way to go if you feel like you need some balance in your life.