A paradox is a statement or a proposition that despite sounds,, (or seemingly sound) reasoning from acceptable premises, leads to a conclusion that seems contradictory and or logically unacceptable.
This is very meaningful in the world of work and the paradoxical statement of "Work Life Balance". You might think you have a good work life balance however all things come undone eventually and balance is just a temporary feeling of equity. The "Work Life Balance" credo pushed in the mainstream of ideas is a lie and a sham. I'm sure it has helped a lot of people sell their books, videos and the like however it's baseless and in need of a reality check. It's a temporary feel good meme like a new pair of sneakers.
Work and life rarely balance. Work can be fulfilling , however rare especially when there are other humans involved. As soon as you feel any modicum of fulfillment it will be shattered by moronic co-workers that would be better off they they didn't work with you. If you are lucky enough to not have to work weekends and have two days off, its just enough to get over the work week then its back to work. Seeking balance in this environment just means being able to get things done during the week while working. There is no real 'balance' , it's an illusion, a cheap catch phrase that people glom onto as a way out of the dread of thinking about work. It takes two days to put the thought of work behind you then a lot of people stress about it on a Sunday evening, further exacerbating the work paradigm.
The longer you work, the more disenchanted you become with your industry, people in general and the striving to save for a future whereby you know it will never be enough. Work is like a Chinese finger torture, the harder you pull, the more stuck you get. Some people drown themselves in work to escape whatever it is they perceive they need escape from. Making 'extra money' might help in the short term but it is no recipe for happiness or peace in your life. Extra money means extra taxes, less time for yourself, more stress and more demands put on you. Working two jobs is a nightmare. I've done it and pray to God I don't have to do it again.
One of the best examples of the Work Life Paradox comes in the responses and conversations you get into with people about their careers. I have heard doctors, general contractors, legal professionals and all manner of other professionals comment on their industry and why you should not pursue it. Every person I have heard these things from was in their particular line of work for a while and was highly negative, overwhelmingly fearful and just plain sad. "Don't go into that field! Its a nightmare! I couldn't wait to get out! You have no idea! It's really depressing to hear. Never have I heard "Wow, what a great career! I am so happy and fulfilled that I spent 30+ years in that profession! I would recommend that line of work to anyone! No, never heard that, never heard anyone imply that nor has anyone ever expressed happiness or a great experience in their chosen field of endeavor. Never. It's always the same, they could not wait to get out and glad they are done.
More proof of the Work Life Paradox comes into play in the inability of people to easily sell their companies or their practices. No one wants to buy your bag load of misery, debt, uncertain outcomes and continual cash drain. I don't care what the company is valued at, how good the "books" look, no one wants to buy it. If they do, they offer an insulting amount that just pisses you off even more about your work life paradox decisions. The potential buyer will require an $18M insurance policy whereby there is already a $5-10M policy in place. Hold on a second, your EBITA, (Earning Before Interest and Taxes) are not up to par because it's the end of the fiscal year or you just built a new facility or you have a back log of units not yet repaired because of the building of the new facility - it never ends.
All of these issues end up in the zombie-facation of the business, hyper micro analysis of meaningless small amounts of money, customers and vendors not being paid and payroll just barley met. Sales people get commission cuts at the last minute for no reason, the accounting dept is like a pack of wolves sweating employees for lunch and hotel receipts as though it is their fault. Corporate communication comes to a standstill and the overall feeling is one of being on a sailboat in the doldrums with a broken mast near the equator with no hope of wind, endless hot days and a broken rudder. Totally and irrevocably screwed! Excuses heard from the company are "Well, it's a venture capital decision and they re-directed the money to more pressing needs of the company.." Translation - we have "re-directed' the money to a more profitable venture and will keep you a-float until some other outfit comes along and buys you for pennies on the dollar. It's all just more lies, misdirection, broken promises and greed beyond belief. No alleged 'balance' or common sense, just an underlying sense of dread and disbelief, hoping like hell you don't end up as a line-cook or a landscaper again.
Welcome to the Work Life Paradox!
