I don’t believe in work life balance.

Instead, I believe in work life integration.

What exactly does this mean?

It means that I often wake up early on the weekends to exercise, get important work done, or plan for my upcoming week.

Even when I’m on vacation.

The key is that I strive to finish working before my family ever wakes up.

My family knows the nights and weekends are reserved for them, but that doesn’t mean I stop working entirely and shut it off completely every night and on weekends.

My wife understands that some evenings during the week I will need to fire up the laptop after the kids are asleep and work for an hour if I have a big presentation the next day. 

This is the exception, not the rule.

What’s most important is family and my work schedule revolves around them.

This ensures I will never miss my sons open house, a parent teacher conference, or a soccer game even if these occur during “work hours.”

And we will always take 4 vacations/year, regardless of how busy, stressed, or crazy work becomes.

Simply put, work life integration means working when you need to work while always making life and family a priority.

Boundaries are important to set, which is why I make it a rule to always stop working by 6pm on weekdays and have lunch with my wife every day from 12-1.

Parkinson’s Law states that “work expands to fill the time allotted,” and I find that I work much more efficiently when I allot less time.

The days are more intense and the effort much higher, but this ensures I get more done in a day than others do in a week.

Do whatever works for you, but don’t feel bad if you have to occasionally work nights and weekends.

Just plan to do it at a time when it doesn’t get in the way of what’s most important.

I know that “clearing my plate” and “staying ahead” is key to feeling much MORE present with those I love when I’m not working, which is why work life integration works for me. 

Find what works for you and stick to it.