Working toward Balance

So much of our daily existence surrounds the concept of finding balance; or equilibrium, or harmony, or homeostasis, or any of the myriad other considerations that have similar meaning. As employees, we must balance the interests, strategic plan, mission, vision and values of our company, division, office, supervisor, and coworkers with our endeavor to meet the needs of our customers. In our private lives, we must balance the needs and interests of varied people and stakeholders with our own needs and desires. So, we could choose to see ourselves in constant struggle between these varied factions of our being. But, really, there must be no struggle. In the Bible, Jesus said that we must love our neighbor as our self. This means that we must first love our self and care for the self, so we CAN most effectively love and care for our neighbor and customer.  As a supervisor, I ask that my colleagues be conscious of the needs of others in the office and of our ability to meet the needs of the customers due to any reduced staffing. But, I know also that each of us must meet our personal, familial and professional development needs adequately in order to be able to provide great service to our customers. Stephen Covey said, “The challenge of work-life balance is without question one of the most significant struggles faced by modern man.” Expect that we will have continual conversations about finding this balance. And, know that I appreciate your efforts.