Striving for Happiness Through Balanced Work and Play

You won't be happy sipping frilly coconut drinks on the beach. Maybe for a bit, but not for life. Rest is only meaningful when contrasted with work. The secret is to create work that you find meaningful, not eliminate work from your life.

It’s easy to see why working hard is so attractive - we want to be successful in our career, make money and stand out amongst our peers and family. But to be truly fulfilled, it’s important to also recognize that taking a break and refreshing ourselves is equally important. Finding satisfaction comes from striving and succeeding via a combination of leisure time and labor.

When done properly, taking time off can be just as fulfilling as working hard. For instance, if you’re someone who loves to travel, why not volunteer abroad or take up a language exchange program? Not only can it provide a constructive way to spend your free time - as an opportunity to learn something new - but could also potentially lead to a new job offer down the line.

The key is to find out what works best for you. What activities will help refuel your emotional tanks and re-energize your mind? Taking breaks that are meaningful to you are essential to working your best.

At the same time, it is equally important to pay attention to the work itself and make sure it has purpose and meaning. Instead of thinking of it as drudgery and mundane, try to think of it as a learning experience. Keep yourself engaged by looking for new and creative ways to tackle problems or getting to know your co-workers and cultivating strong relationships.

In moments of stress or burnout, try to think how working this job can help you build towards a larger goal. If a particular task seems unimportant in the grand scheme of things, look for the greater good it can contribute to. Even if work does not seem directly related to the accomplishment of your dreams, there can often be transferable skills that help pave the road for the future.

You won’t be content forever just kicking back and relaxing on some Caribbean beach. As important as taking time to decompress is, it is only through meaningful work that we can move closer to achieving our goals. So, in order to stay fulfilled and reach our highest potential, it’s important to seek balance between the two - aiming to find joy both while working and while playing.