WHAT MAKES YOU GIGGLE? #ARCHITALKS
This month’s installment of the architalks blog-cast is the “life/work”conundrum – how to maintain a balance between your job and your life….without going insane or going broke. I know, right….. So instead of going through the same old spiel of the basics – time management, loving what you do, blah blah blah, I thought I would take a different approach and simply ask:
What makes you giggle?
This question isn’t really rhetorical, nor is it facetious. It’s important to get at the root of a true life and work balance because there are very few things in life and in work that truly matter, that are most important, the ones that really stand out, stand the test of time and don’t get deleted when the latest edition of Architect Magazine comes. These moments are almost never recognized for what they are in the moment itself. No, it’s only after some time has past, you look back and say “that made me giggle”. You probably don’t actually say that to yourself, but I do and this is my blog post, so shut it. See. That made me giggle.
I’ve always found the idea of a balanced life very interesting. Even before opening the doors of my own firm I liked to think there was an unconscious sense of balance in my life. I felt as if I teetered at least close to that happy median we all seek. But it hasn’t been until the last couple of months that I’ve really taken stock and tried to codify the essential elements that create a balanced life. I don’t expect happiness or success to find me. I don’t expect everything to just “work out”. What I do expect is that I have to work hard for the things that I want, the things that are most important to me. I have to seek them out and create the environment needed to multiply the best moments of my life – the giggles.
Because for me, and for most architects I would guess, there is no balance. It’s a complete illusion. The reality is you will have seasons where you work far more than you play and others where you work far too little and play even less. The real answer, if there is such a thing, is to create an environment around yourself that, no matter what difficulties, challenges, highs or lows come your way, you have an attitude and an expectation to find joy in everything you do. Giggle, snort, chortle and laugh as often as you can. Not only will you live longer (scientific fact) but you’ll live better.
If you like this post you’ll love these by other Architalks participants:
Enoch Sears – Business of Architecture (@businessofarch)
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Bob Borson – Life of An Architect (@bobborson)
Work | Life – Different Letters, Same Word
Matthew Stanfield – FiELD9: architecture (@FiELD9arch)
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Marica McKeel – Studio MM (@ArchitectMM)
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Jeff Echols – Architect Of The Internet (@Jeff_Echols)
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Lee Calisti, AIA – Think Architect (@LeeCalisti)
work | life :: dance
Mark R. LePage – Entrepreneur Architect (@EntreArchitect)
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Lora Teagarden – L² Design, LLC (@L2DesignLLC)
#ArchiTalks: Work/life…attempts
Collier Ward – Thousand Story Studio (@collier1960)
Work/Life
Jes Stafford – Modus Operandi Design (@modarchitect)
Turning Work Off
Eric T. Faulkner – Rock Talk (@wishingrockhome)
Work/Life — A Merger
Rosa Sheng – Equity by Design / The Missing 32% Project (@miss32percent)
Work Life Fit: A New Focus for Blurred Lines
Michele Grace Hottel – Michele Grace Hottel, Architect (@mghottel)
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Meghana Joshi – IRA Consultants, LLC (@MeghanaIRA)
Architalks: Imbalanced and uninterrupted
Amy Kalar – ArchiMom (@AmyKalar)
ArchiTalks #12: Balance is a Verb.
Michael Riscica – Young Architect (@YoungArchitxPDX)
I Just Can’t Do This Anymore
Stephen Ramos – BUILDINGS ARE COOL (@sramos_BAC)
An Architect’s House
brady ernst – Soapbox Architect (@bradyernstAIA)
Brady Ernst – Family Man Since 08/01/2015
Brian Paletz – The Emerging Architect (@bpaletz)
Father, Husband, Architect – typically in that order
Tara Imani – Tara Imani Designs, LLC (@Parthenon1)
On Work: Life Balance – Cattywampus is as Good as it Gets
Eric Wittman – intern[life] (@rico_w)
midnight in the garden of [life] and [work]
Sharon George – Architecture By George (@sharonraigeorge)
Work = 1/3 Life
Daniel Beck – The Architect’s Checklist (@archchecklist)
Work Life Balance: Architecture and Babies – 5 Hints for Expecting Parents
Jarod Hall – di’velept (@divelept)
Work is Life
Anthony Richardson – That Architecture Student (@thatarchstudent)
studio / life
Lindsey Rhoden – SPARC Design (@sparcdesignpc)
Work Life Balance: A Photo Essay
Drew Paul Bell – Drew Paul Bell (@DrewPaulBell)
Work / Life