Lindsay M. Sutton, Ph.D., MSPH, spoke on “The Myth of Work-Life Balance: Finding What Keeps You Balanced” during Grand Rounds on Friday, Oct. 8, 2021.
Sutton is a behavioral designer and performance strategist who believes, “We need leaders who have worked on themselves before they work on the world.”
“Anyone who sees potential in the processes or people around them and chooses to develop them and chooses to cultivate is a leader in my eyes,” Sutton said.
Sutton stated that there is no such thing as work-life balance, especially as the lines between the two have become blurred during the COVID-19 pandemic over the past two years.
“The myth [of work-life balance] tells us we have to choose and there are lots of times we feel guilty when we’re not making these memories at home,” Sutton said.
She said that fulfillment is not found in this unattainable standard, but in finding “your blend.” Your blend is a mixture of core life elements that help you achieve vulnerability, authenticity, and fulfillment in your life, at home, and at work.
“When you are showing up more holistically, more wholeheartedly, more authentically, [you have] better self-control, you’re cognitively…in gear to make better decisions, to have the energy you need to show up,” Sutton said.
Sutton said that finding your blend increases your personal performance and your team’s performance.
During the meeting, Sutton goes through the Life Elements Blend worksheet which allows users to assess how successfully they are achieving their personal fulfillment and prompts them to reach their desired level of fulfillment.
Sutton shares that this tool is effective if you stick to it and supplement it by practicing gratitude.
“If you wake up every morning and the first thing you tell yourself is you’re not enough, I’m asking you to say, ‘I am enough, and I am grateful I am enough,’” Sutton said.
Following her presentation, Sutton answered questions on the chat, covering how to show yourself grace, re-evaluating your blend as your needs change, and learning to set firm boundaries. The recording is available for playback on YouTube.
Download the individual worksheet and team worksheet and follow the instructions to create your personal and team blends. You can view the recording here.