Don't Make Work Your Life

Someone sent me a message recently:

A co-worker died two days ago. HR is cleaning out her office and preparing to post her position. Meanwhile, a family is grieving the loss of a beloved wife and mother.

It's sobering how quickly the professional world fills a vacancy, while the personal world is left with an unfillable void.

We spend so much of our lives giving our time, our energy, our best hours to work. We chase deadlines, answer late-night emails, and strive to be indispensable.

And yet, when we are gone, the company moves on without missing a beat. The desk is cleared. The calendar resumes. The role is filled as soon as the next day.

But those who love us - our pets, our families, our friends - they would miss our presence, our irreplaceable self in this world.

So pause. Step away. Sit with your loved ones. Watch the light change in the afternoon. Let work stay where it belongs - as a part of life, not the whole of it.

Don't make work your life. Make your life - your real, living, breathing life - the work that truly matters.