A reader recently wrote that said she struggled with the “work/live” balance and asked me to let her know if I ever solved it. Many face the same challenge. I have for most of my life. Here is my reply to the reader:
“It took me nearly forty years to figure out how to do it (I’m a slow learner) but I finally found the recipe that works for me. It took time and multiple steps, and the transition had setbacks along the way, but the changes I made have made a huge difference in the quality of my life and the amount of joy in it.
“I got out of a profession I’d been in decades and had come to hate, and found something I love to do so much that I did it for free for friends and family before they convinced me I should make a profession out of it. I now professionally manage investments and wealth of many of the people I care deeply deeply care about and love doing it. In that way, “work” is play.
“I also found I love to write. I finished my first book less than four years ago and have since written nearly thirty more. I enjoy the writing, reader compliments and support, and the royalties I receive for my efforts. It’s another form of “work” that feels much more like play to me most of the time.
“My professions make for a very flexible schedule. I can also perform them from almost anywhere. When family or friends need or want to be with me, I can focus on them. In that way I can be maximally available to my family and friends when it is convenient for them. They get all the time they want with me, and I with them. There is rarely any work/play tension because I get to play all the time, doing what I love, with the people I love.”
With Love,
Russ
Russ Towne's A Grateful Man 
If it works don’t mess with it
Good point, Joanne.
Russ
This is a mighty fine way to live Russ.
Thank you for saying so, Colleen. All I know about is what I said in the title of the post.
Russ
how lucky that you found it, i have as well. each in our own time –
“Each in our own time.” So true, Beth.
Russ
Yay!
Thank you, Mrs. P.
Russ
Wisdom. Boom! Work is play, play is work. How great if that were true 100% of the time. I’m working on it. Maybe at 50% for me right now.
Thank you, Mark. Congratulations on reaching 50%. I’ll bet you’ve seen a big improvement in your life and satisfaction levels at 50%.
For me work is mostly play, and play is nearly all play. I define work as something I would need to be be paid or coerced into doing. For an example of the latter, there are some regulatory things which I don’t enjoy doing in my wealth management business but they must be done in order to be in the business. I view them as the cost of admission so I can play the rest of the time. For that reason, I’m probably closer to 95% play/5% work.
Russ
You are strong and very lucky. Well done!
Thank you, Kim. I’ve experienced so many instances of people overcoming challenges, tragedies, and difficulties throughout life that I’ve come to believe that to a major extent one is responsible for creating their own luck. I’ve found that those who are grateful and persevere are often viewed by themselves and others as much luckier than that who aren’t grateful and don’t persevere, even if the former had to face far worse challenges in life.
With Love,
Russ