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{7} Work/Life Balance: No Such Thing

Woman sitting on arm of sofa, laptop on a crossed leg, one hand holding her neck, the other holding a phone to her ear. Work-life balance? Photo courtesy of mohmadnady: Pixabay

Balance is a thing. Just not the thing we think it is. Work is a thing, and we can refashion it, to be more meaningful. We CAN find flow.

Apr 16, 2026 6 min read

I've got to break it to you

💭Life is work, but it doesn't have to be a four-letter word.

Hello Genius,

I don't know who dreamed up the term work-life balance but the term deserves to be put to rest. It constitutes one of the most limiting myths about life we attempt to achieve in some way.

Work, before the industrial age, was life. And life was work. People had very little time for the amount of travel and leisure we have today. That doesn't mean I am arguing for a return to archaic times – well, not much – but what I am saying is that work isn't just about our job title, duties, and a forty-hour work week. If we're lucky.

Work was meant to be one of the parts of our lives that brought the most satisfaction, and not just in a paycheck and benefits package. But in accomplishment, learning, and growth.

Everything changed about a few hundred years ago and we haven't been able to get out from under that change, even though we've outgrown it. With the industrial age both work as livelihood and learning as preparation became standardized to meet the demands of the transition from an agrarian economy to mechanized industry.

The people who left farms and homes to work in factories and attend public schools had less so-called work life balance than the pastoral folk. Work and life were veritably sliced in two and life was a mere sliver.

How is it that we were never able to regain that semblance of balance? I say semblance because as I mentioned in the title, there is no such thing as work-life balance.

And you know it. You really do, somewhere, deep down. If not right at the top of your head! If you're still looking for balance, check out this article I published earlier this week: You're Not Really Looking for Balance.

Here's a podcast episode that speaks to Work as a Magnum Opus. The great work of your life.

🥳Featured Genius - Jacqlyn Belcher Crosby and Lissa Belcher Murray

A Sister Duo - Retired Teachers Writing Novels

Jacqui Belcher Crosby sent me a message on Facebook one day. She had found one of my poems online and wanted permission to use it in the book she and her sister were writing, a saga that crossed generations and the ocean between Scotland and the East Coast of the United States.

There was an instant connection between us, two avid readers, writers, wordsmiths and lovers of life. Later Jacqui introduced me to Mysi (aka Lissa) and the warmth was equally palpable.

I had not done a dual interview before so this posed some challenges. But we've pulled it off. Due to length, their feature will be posted in two segments. Here's the first!

Click the 🔗 below to read the full first segment of the interview!

📰Hot off the Press

🎙️Podcast Episodes

Every Day Genius: The Podcast - Short, bite-sized episodes with tidbits of wisdom from your host Michele Jennae and a series of inspired guests.

Find all episodes for Apr 6 - Apr 12 here:

Don't miss an episode! Subscribe on your favorite Podcast app.
Spotify | iHeart | Apple | Amazon

Speaking of podcast episodes:

Did you catch the anthology of podcast episodes that tell the story of the origin of Every Day Genius in a way I had been unable to express before.

And Featured Genius Interviews:

I also created a way to bring the butterfly to life with regard to what Genius in Flight looks like. I hope you'll read that if you missed it, by clicking this link -> Featured Genius: Meet Elana.

As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts on all things Genius! And that means YOU!

I do hope you'll share. 🫖☕(Hit reply. Comment on a podcast episode. Message me on Social!)

🩵 Michele Jennae

P.S. Can I be real about something?

You're probably feeling it too. The whole internet thing, specifically the "social" media. It's a great tool, but every time we turn around, our opportunities to connect meaningfully are hijacked by algorithms. It is no longer what we signed up for in many respects.

I want to invite you into a community without the ads, without a feed full of 70% of things you never opted to "friend" or "follow." It's a dedicated space so the content is more meaningful and easier to navigate.

I'd love to have you!