Work Life Balance?

Posted on by Carl Weber

[This will be one of many posts on Work Life Balance]

My youngest daughter (someday she may read this stuff and laugh) had an assignment a few years back in kindergarten to write about one of her parents.  She picked me.  The form that the teacher provided had certain questions to answer:

1.  My Dad’s name is:  Carl Weber (Weird when your kids say or use your whole name.)

2.  How old is your Dad?  89 (I was 39 at the time, so at least she got the 9 right, and I looked pretty good for a 89-year-old.)

3.  How much does your Dad weigh?  200 lbs  (Before I comment on her accuracy, what teacher wants to know this?  She was pretty much within a pound at the time…rats.)

4.  My Dad likes to:  Check his email

There it was…in black and white, or actually crayon.  Dad likes to check his email.  I could make excuses.  I could blame a demanding job, a busy life, and my attempts to provide a better life for her, but my actions spoke louder than any words.

I stepped back to reflect on how often I was checking the phone or sitting at the computer in a state of distraction trying to get more work accomplished.  Balancing work and life is more than just working while at home, or checking email on your phone while in the presence of your family.  Shortly after this project, during a conversation in the dining room (while I was on the computer) she said words that still haunt me:

“Daddy, I want you to listen with your face!”

Where are you out of balance?  Who or what needs your attention, your focus, your face?  I am beginning to walk out this journey of balancing work and life, but it is not easy.  Creating boundaries has helped, but more on that later.  Is it working?  Only time will tell.

Recently she had another project to write about me again.  This time the result was different.  Here is what she wrote…

1.  My Dad doesn’t like it when:   He Does Not Win!

Published by Carl Weber

Carl Weber, is the owner and founder of Carl Weber Consulting, a consulting group that helps businesses, non-profits, and individuals understand themselves, hire and manage well, and become great leaders. Carl worked in local government for more than ten years, as the Town Administrator of a few towns in NH. Once upon a time he was a search and rescue swimmer for the US Navy. Carl holds Bachelors’ Degrees in Political Science & Community Development and a Master’s Degree in Public Policy. Carl is a Certified Professional Behavioral Analyst (CPBA) and Certified Professional Motivators Analyst (CPMA). Carl regularly teaches on human factors and the relationship of behavior and leadership styles, as well as motivation, coaching, leadership challenges, and failing as a leader. His passion is to help leaders in their lifelong journey to finish well, to combat and work with their inner voice, and to live a meaningful story worth reading. Carl lives in Southern New Hampshire with his wife Amanda and together they are raising a small tribe of four young (somewhat crazy) women with the goal of unleashing them on the world to change it for the better.