I have encountered three metaphors for what most people call the ‘work-life balance’ issue. These are: juggling, keeping multiple plates spinning on sticks, and surfing. Each has its strengths and flaws. All share in common the problems that arise from calling the whole thing a ‘balance’ problem in the first place, but the ‘balance’ point of view has some merits. Here is a straight-faced analysis. I conclude that ‘surfing’ is the best-of-breed within the whole ‘balance’ category or metaphors. Here is why.

This having been an insane week at work, work-life balance issues have been at the back of my mind. Let’s admit that ‘balance’ is perhaps not a good way of looking at things, since it suggests a zero-sum trade off. Some thinkers, like Dan Pink, prefer the idea of ‘blending’ work and life. But let’s not go there, and instead see what we can do with ‘balance,’ since it is here to stay. Here is an illustration of the three main variants I’ve seen, for your entertainment (mainly more stylus drawing practice for me):

Juggling - This is the most common metaphor, and has the advantage of emphasizing motion and rapid switching. It also suggests the need for synchronization, harmonious rhythms and keeping a certain overall situation awareness alive. It has the disadvantage of suggesting that there is no true multi-tasking going on. It also suggests that everything that happens only happens because of you, and the world (a.k.a “gravity”) will cause things to collapse if you slack for even a second.

Spinning Plates - If you’ve never seen a stage artist perform this act, you may not get this, but I’ve heard more than one person suggest this as the right metaphor. You get one plate after another spinning and then keep them going by darting among your various sticks and adding sharp impulses to plates that are starting to slow down and wobble. What I like about this metaphor is that it gets at the fact that we react to squeaky wheels (excuse the mixed metaphor), and pay attention to one thing at a time, usually the most dangerously out-of-balance one. It also suggests the key role of momentum: the world isn’t an entirely unfriendly place. Gravity may work against you, but momentum exists. You can breathe occasionally. Finally it suggests that there is actual energy involved, not just control. You have to run around a bit.

Surfing - I don’t surf, but I like this one the most for one simple reason: it suggests that balance is a very dynamic situation, and that all variables are inter-related and trade off against each other. If you stood up straight all the time, you’d fall in the water. Sometimes you have to lean over extremely towards one side to make the whole thing balance out. What is ‘balanced’ right now might be dangerous unstable the next instant, and you lean over the other way. This metaphor also suggests the role of a basically uncertain environment (as opposed to a deterministic unfriendly or friendly environment). Waves are coming at you all the time. What would be extreme imbalance in calm waters is balance in a raging sea.

It also suggests that these chaotic destabilizing forces also provide the forces to drive your life. Calm waters leave you becalmed and not surfing at all, but expending your own energy to paddle. Finally this metaphor also suggests that grace, beauty and a sense of effortless engagement of the environment are key. Note that it is engagement, not control.

A Zen surfer (and I am guessing here) sometimes lets go and trusts the waves and his natural sense of one-ness with the sea to lead to forward motion. At other times, he tastefully injects a swerve here and there to position himself to best leverage the next movement of the water. The surfer is also reactive and opportunistic, listening to the waves and going where they suggest, rather than enforcing his own goals dogmatically.

[by Venkatesh Rao]