Balancing?

Earlier this week, I was a panelist at a luncheon program sponsored by our local YWCA titled "Creating Balance in Your Life." It is part of their women's leadership initiative that offers many resources and programs for emerging women leaders. (If you are anywhere near NE Ohio, you should check out their upcoming conference, and not just because I am a speaker! They have a great line-up including Sylvia Ann Hewlett who wrote "Off-ramps and On-ramps.)"

Anyway, a consistent point that was made in our discussion at the luncheon is that "balance" is really a misnomer for what working parents attempt to do in their lives. Dictionary.com suggests that balance is an "equal distribution" of something. Do you ever really give "equally" to work and family? Do you want to? While I love my work, my family will always be more important to me. Managing work and family really involves trade-offs, time management, and sometimes sacrifice in order to try to do your best with each.

After some further digging on Dictionary.com, I think that "harmony" might be a better word for what we are trying to accomplish. Harmony is a pleasing arrangement of parts. Isn't that great? A pleasing arrangement of parts. That is what I hope for, a division of my time and energy that is pleasing.