Work-Life Balance Is a Lie
Today, let’s talk about something big: work-life balance is a complete and utter lie.
Welcome to Authentic Living Guidance, where we push back on societal norms, push back on hustle culture, and lean into building a life and career that actually feels meaningful to you.
What Even Is Work-Life Balance?
We’ve all heard about it—at work, on social media, in casual conversations. The idea is simple:
You have multiple roles—your work, your family, your friendships, your passions—and “balance” means showing up equally in all of them. None is supposed to overshadow the other. Supposedly, this balance leads to a good quality of life and satisfaction.
But here’s the problem: work and life don’t exist in neat, separate boxes. They bleed into one another. What happens at work affects home, and what happens at home affects work. Trying to keep a strict separation sets us up for failure.
And honestly? The way society and work are structured right now, balance isn’t even possible.
3 Reasons Work-Life Balance Doesn’t Exist
There are countless reasons, but let’s look at three of the biggest ones.
1. The Endless Demands at Work
To-do lists that never end. Piles of work waiting. Overtime becoming the norm. High expectations that make it feel like you’re constantly behind.
Work is always there, hovering in the back of your mind, and it becomes impossible to truly switch off.
2. The Culture of Hustle
We live in a society that glorifies overwork. “Stay late, go above and beyond, grind if you want to succeed.” And if you don’t? You risk being judged as lazy or unmotivated.
I felt this pressure deeply as a Millennial. I stayed late, skipped breaks, and over-delivered just to prove I wasn’t “the lazy generation.” But the truth is, that mindset did me more harm than good.
3. Technology and Constant Connectivity
Slack. Teams. Emails. Notifications pinging at all hours. Work follows us everywhere—on our laptops, our phones, even into bed at night.
I used to have my work email on my personal phone, and I can’t tell you how often I checked it. Being hyper-connected makes boundaries nearly impossible, and of course it bleeds into our personal lives.
Why the Lie Persists
If we know work-life balance isn’t real, why is it still everywhere?
In theory, the idea comes from a good place: don’t let work consume you. Make sure you live your life, too. As a therapist, I used to promote work-life balance for exactly that reason.
But here’s the controversial part: hustle culture and capitalism benefit from keeping this lie alive.
Workplaces and society know the systems aren’t built for balance. High demands, high expectations, constant connectivity—it’s not sustainable. But instead of changing the system, they blame the individual.
You’ve probably experienced this. You go to your boss overwhelmed, asking for support, and instead you’re told:
“Are you getting enough sleep?”
“Sounds like a time management issue.”
“Maybe you should see a therapist.”
In other words, this is your problem, fix it.
And you’re left questioning yourself: Am I weak? Why can’t I keep up? But the truth is, it’s not you—it’s the system.
You’re not failing. The system is failing you.
So Where Do We Go From Here?
I wish I had a perfect solution. I don’t.
But here’s what I do know: there is power in questioning. Questioning the status quo, questioning the way things are, questioning whether this hamster wheel of overwork is really the life we want to accept.
That’s why I’m creating these conversations. Because your voice matters too. And when we use our voices together, we can start to shift the narrative.
Let’s Continue the Conversation
I’d love to hear your thoughts:
Have you felt the pressure of trying to achieve “balance”?
Do these challenges resonate with you?
Share your reflections in the comments. Let’s keep questioning, together.
Watch the full video version of this blog here: Work-Life Balance is A Lie