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Author makes three fatal assumptions. One is a category error of work and life, the second is what work-life balance means in practice, and the third is for whom work-life balance advice applies. The category error raises its head in the line, "Work is just another part of life like family, community, food, fitness, creativity, travel, fun, spirituality, etc." The author seems to group together all activities one does under the same umbrella as if that makes them equal. We already know they aren't because we often point out the distinction the evergreen antimetabole, "Do you live to work or work to live?" The point of pointing this distinction out is precisely to make one examine one's priorities. It's easy to make excuses at home for time spent at work, but typically much harder to make excuses[1] at work for time spent at home. Excuses is a poor way to phrase this, but it highlights exactly the problem of putting work and life on the same level. If you cringe at reading the phrase "excuses at work" it's because work and home have this difference. Rather, we usually say "setting time boundaries on work" because we see work as one thing and life as another. Finally, we must acknowledge that this boundary setting and it's formulation comes easier to some and harder to others. When the author attempts to universalize his advice, ignoring context, it ceases to be useful. Setting work boundaries is crucial to folks for whom boundary setting is more difficult. But to omit this is the final nail in the coffin of the author's bad advice. In my own experience, personal growth came from doing exactly the opposite of what the author suggests. If instead, I had blindly taken his advice, I'd risk losing everything I hold dear. That's why it's bad advice. |