Absolutely agree with you and I’d even take it a step further. It’s not just about “work-life balance.” For so long, we’ve been searching for meaning and purpose first in religion, then in our work. But the real challenge is finding a balance that honours us as whole humans, not just workers or productivity machines.
As someone who’s been through burnout, I know how it feels: constant fatigue, feeling unable to give to people and honestly, just wanting to avoid people altogether. It’s isolating and draining, and it creeps up when we ignore our own needs for too long.
And as for the fitness industry, I have to say “wellness” is grounded in the domain of occupational therapy. Our role, as therapists is to enable people to thrive in all domains of life: work, rest, play, and self-care. Unfortunately, self-proclaimed experts sometimes sugar-coat what “wellness” really is, especially when it isn’t grounded in evidence-based practice. True wellness isn’t about extremes or quick fixes it’s about sustainable habits that support our health, well-being and happiness as whole people.
I believe it’s a paradigm shift from “work-life balance” to genuine human balance. When we look after ourselves in all areas of life, we’re better for ourselves, our families, our communities, and yes even our work.
Hey Shannon! Thanks for the comment and totally agree that we need a broader sense of meaning, because work alone isn’t the answer. That said, I do think work and how we contribute to society is part of the answer (especially if you enjoy your work) but it shouldn’t come at the expense of our health.
Also couldn’t agree more about wellness being misrepresented as it’s often framed around extremes. For me, it's simply about “how much energy you have" and how improving it relies on everyone finding their own unique balance, and sharing that message is a big part of why I write my blog.
I agree. Society needs to stop labelling the people who "push through" as heroes. I've had conversations with a couple of people recently where they were recovering from illness or medical procedures and a main comment was around having to rest at home. The guilt felt when doing "nothing". I've pointed out that their body is regenerating/repairing and as such that by doing "nothing" they're allowing their body to do what it needs to do.
Being busy is also an avoidance behaviour. Sitting quiet sometimes means sitting with uncomfortable thoughts and feelings and many adults haven't learnt how to cope with that so we just keep busy.
My mum will tell me how tired she is, but proceed to tell me all the things she did (for other people) that she didn't actually HAVE to do but it meets her need to be needed so she does it at the expense of her energy and subsequently her health.
As HuwT as also mentioned the advances in technology came with the promise of more time to spend doing other things, however what a lot of people are doing are working the same hours or more, so that they can earn even more money. Earning more money improves your wealth, but not your health. However, I think that also comes with the general societal value of wealth rather than living a good life. When you meet a person for the first time, the first question is usually, what do you do. Occupations then generally give an indication of how much money a person earns or what their education level is. You see doctors striking because they want a pay rise, but they're earning $400k a year, which to a person on $80k or less per year is left wondering, how much money is enough?
I agree with everything Clare, except having more wealth usually you can get better access to top notch health care. My mum also hugely overextends herself. Could be the product of that generation?
More wealth gives the option for accessing more regular private care as well as elective surgery. Wealth helps to afford the twice yearly (as recommended by) dental, massages, private physiotherapy/EP, gym programs, personal trainers, things that can make life a bit more comfortable. However, I have heard from my sister who has a friend with terminal cancer, that when you are really sick, you can get the care that you need. Having the wealth to afford access to healthcare doesn't necessarily make a person healthier, either. If people don't change the aspects in their life that are making them sick (stressful job, toxic relationships, nervous system dysregulation) healthcare may help them continue to survive but it won't move them into the direction of thriving.
I think it's a generational thing. Women have learned that they are the carers of the household and family and people in general. We have learned that everybody else's needs come before our own. A problem in men that as equal impact to health and wellbeing is learning that emotions are bad and expression is a sign of weakness and they need to be tough and just get on with it.
Think you're pretty much right Ben. More broadly though I think the problem is ever greater efficiencies haven't been used to make people's lives demonstrably better they've just served to funnel more wealth and power to a mind boggling small elite. Scientific paper in 2024 estimated 8.5billion people could have a decent living standard on just 30% of global resource and energy output. In other words 70% of output is going towards profit.
People were promised technology advancements would set them free for cultural and familial pursuits. The opposite is true. One of the founding elements of the Star Trek universe is that basic needs have been taken care of science so nobody needs to do menial work anymore. People are free to pursue high goals be it science or art etc. This is not science fiction as of today, if society had different priorities, people would not have to "grind". Of course self interest/vested interests are the big break on any change.
Perhaps part of the issue is that technology made it easier for work to creep into all areas of life (Zoom, emails, etc.), especially as belief in religion declined, leaving a vacuum that work and productivity have filled.
At the same time, things like cars, elevators etc made it easy for us to not to move our bodies daily, which ironically leaves us feeling more tired and even more trapped by/dependant on "the system", not less.
That said, I do think tech has generally made life better, but only when we’re intentional about setting boundaries, especially with work and making sure we physically move.
Absolutely agree with you and I’d even take it a step further. It’s not just about “work-life balance.” For so long, we’ve been searching for meaning and purpose first in religion, then in our work. But the real challenge is finding a balance that honours us as whole humans, not just workers or productivity machines.
As someone who’s been through burnout, I know how it feels: constant fatigue, feeling unable to give to people and honestly, just wanting to avoid people altogether. It’s isolating and draining, and it creeps up when we ignore our own needs for too long.
And as for the fitness industry, I have to say “wellness” is grounded in the domain of occupational therapy. Our role, as therapists is to enable people to thrive in all domains of life: work, rest, play, and self-care. Unfortunately, self-proclaimed experts sometimes sugar-coat what “wellness” really is, especially when it isn’t grounded in evidence-based practice. True wellness isn’t about extremes or quick fixes it’s about sustainable habits that support our health, well-being and happiness as whole people.
I believe it’s a paradigm shift from “work-life balance” to genuine human balance. When we look after ourselves in all areas of life, we’re better for ourselves, our families, our communities, and yes even our work.
Hey Shannon! Thanks for the comment and totally agree that we need a broader sense of meaning, because work alone isn’t the answer. That said, I do think work and how we contribute to society is part of the answer (especially if you enjoy your work) but it shouldn’t come at the expense of our health.
Also couldn’t agree more about wellness being misrepresented as it’s often framed around extremes. For me, it's simply about “how much energy you have" and how improving it relies on everyone finding their own unique balance, and sharing that message is a big part of why I write my blog.
I agree. Society needs to stop labelling the people who "push through" as heroes. I've had conversations with a couple of people recently where they were recovering from illness or medical procedures and a main comment was around having to rest at home. The guilt felt when doing "nothing". I've pointed out that their body is regenerating/repairing and as such that by doing "nothing" they're allowing their body to do what it needs to do.
Being busy is also an avoidance behaviour. Sitting quiet sometimes means sitting with uncomfortable thoughts and feelings and many adults haven't learnt how to cope with that so we just keep busy.
My mum will tell me how tired she is, but proceed to tell me all the things she did (for other people) that she didn't actually HAVE to do but it meets her need to be needed so she does it at the expense of her energy and subsequently her health.
As HuwT as also mentioned the advances in technology came with the promise of more time to spend doing other things, however what a lot of people are doing are working the same hours or more, so that they can earn even more money. Earning more money improves your wealth, but not your health. However, I think that also comes with the general societal value of wealth rather than living a good life. When you meet a person for the first time, the first question is usually, what do you do. Occupations then generally give an indication of how much money a person earns or what their education level is. You see doctors striking because they want a pay rise, but they're earning $400k a year, which to a person on $80k or less per year is left wondering, how much money is enough?
I agree with everything Clare, except having more wealth usually you can get better access to top notch health care. My mum also hugely overextends herself. Could be the product of that generation?
More wealth gives the option for accessing more regular private care as well as elective surgery. Wealth helps to afford the twice yearly (as recommended by) dental, massages, private physiotherapy/EP, gym programs, personal trainers, things that can make life a bit more comfortable. However, I have heard from my sister who has a friend with terminal cancer, that when you are really sick, you can get the care that you need. Having the wealth to afford access to healthcare doesn't necessarily make a person healthier, either. If people don't change the aspects in their life that are making them sick (stressful job, toxic relationships, nervous system dysregulation) healthcare may help them continue to survive but it won't move them into the direction of thriving.
I think it's a generational thing. Women have learned that they are the carers of the household and family and people in general. We have learned that everybody else's needs come before our own. A problem in men that as equal impact to health and wellbeing is learning that emotions are bad and expression is a sign of weakness and they need to be tough and just get on with it.
Think you're pretty much right Ben. More broadly though I think the problem is ever greater efficiencies haven't been used to make people's lives demonstrably better they've just served to funnel more wealth and power to a mind boggling small elite. Scientific paper in 2024 estimated 8.5billion people could have a decent living standard on just 30% of global resource and energy output. In other words 70% of output is going towards profit.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2452292924000493
People were promised technology advancements would set them free for cultural and familial pursuits. The opposite is true. One of the founding elements of the Star Trek universe is that basic needs have been taken care of science so nobody needs to do menial work anymore. People are free to pursue high goals be it science or art etc. This is not science fiction as of today, if society had different priorities, people would not have to "grind". Of course self interest/vested interests are the big break on any change.
Perhaps part of the issue is that technology made it easier for work to creep into all areas of life (Zoom, emails, etc.), especially as belief in religion declined, leaving a vacuum that work and productivity have filled.
At the same time, things like cars, elevators etc made it easy for us to not to move our bodies daily, which ironically leaves us feeling more tired and even more trapped by/dependant on "the system", not less.
That said, I do think tech has generally made life better, but only when we’re intentional about setting boundaries, especially with work and making sure we physically move.
Love your comment mate