The choice between having a career or making time for love is an
extremely personal and individual decision. There are many factors which
can affect your choice, and there are many people who have discovered
how to achieve a healthy work life balance that allows them to have
both.
Careers and love fulfill us in different but important ways. Having a
solid career gives us a sense of accomplishment and self worth, aside
from the practicalities of paying the bills. Many people develop their
entire identity based upon what they do, elevating their career to a
level of great importance in their lives.
Then there are those who measure their success in terms of having a
pleasant and rewarding home life. They develop their identities based
upon the accomplishments of their children, and derive their self worth
through the love and support of a spouse.
So what happens if you cannot or do not wish to make room in your
life for both? While the happiest and healthiest people have managed to
develop a work life balance that allows for both, it may not be for
everyone. Consider these factors when pondering which is more important
for you.
1. Your Career May be More Important When You are Young
Many people these days focus on careers first and family later. The
reasoning is that, while you are young and unencumbered, you have the
time and energy to fully devote yourself to a career. If you have lofty
career ambitions while you are young, it may indeed be the time to start
making progress towards those goals.
Once you get married and begin to build a family, much of your time
and energy – by necessity – becomes devoted to your family. This is as
it should be. You should not start a family unless you are willing to
devote time and attention to your loved ones.
Many people who accomplish great success in their careers when they
are young, and establish themselves in a secure position, are then more
willing and comfortable later on to devote themselves to family. By the
time they do settle down, they are more prepared to handle the
responsibility.
2. Falling in Love can be Better When You are Older
More and more people these days are choosing to wait when it comes to
making decisions about family. It is not unusual for people to delay
marriage until their late 30’s or even their early 40’s. Delaying family
decisions allows you to be better prepared for those obligations, and
creates a better likelihood that you are in touch with your most
important goals and values. You have had the opportunity to completely
grow up, greatly reducing the chances of feeling like you are “missing
out.” You have had the chance to purge the foolishness of youth from
your system and are now confident with the wisdom of maturity.
3. Choosing Both
If you can find a work life balance that allows you to experience the
joys of love and maintain a successful career, you will have a truly
happy and rewarding life. A loving family at home can help you celebrate
all of your successes, and bolster your confidence through your
failures. There are many people out there reaping the tremendous rewards
that come with including love and work in their lives, and finding the
balance that allows for both.
A life that only has room for a career, or that includes a consuming
love that stifles your personal development, is likely not a lifestyle
that is healthy or fulfilling. Our personal needs and feelings of self
worth need to be met, which is normally gained from having a good
career. Our hearts and souls need to be nourished, and we need
companionship to support us through life, which normally are derived
from loving relationships.
The truly healthy and well balanced person will recognize the
benefits of having both. He or she will take steps to achieve the work
life balance necessary to assure the continuation of career growth while
nurturing and maintaining the health of personal relationships. It is
only when we can maintain this delicate balance that we are living life
to its greatest potential.
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