The Gist

In a recent interview, Randi Zuckerberg perfectly put into perspective why striving for a work-life balance is misguided. Mentioning her greatest achievements, Zuckerberg said none of those things happened when she felt well balanced. The key, as Zuckerberg notes, is to not make yourself feel guilty for being lopsided instead of well balanced. When you're lopsided is when all the greatest things happen.

Be Lopsided, Not Balanced

Read time: 45 seconds

Here at Ridiculously Efficient, we are big believers in work-life alignment over work-life balance. Creating an equilibrium between your career and the rest of your life isn't necessarily the thing that will help you be successful in either area or make you happy.

There will be times in your life when work comes first, and others when your family might come first, along with the many other aspects of your life that will require more of your attention at one point or another. There will rarely ever be a real balance.

Randi Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Zuckerberg Media, perfectly put the idea of work-life balance into perspective during an interview with Inc.:

"When I look back and think about the three or four things I'm most proud of in my life, none of those happened when I was being well balanced,"

These accomplishments include her sons, running a marathon, performing on Broadway and her time working at Facebook.

What's important, however, is to let go of the guilt many people feel when not striving for or achieving the perfect balance.

"I want people to give themselves permission to be well lopsided instead of well balanced, because that's the only way that you're going to do anything great."