The Secretes to work-life Balance: what pro-athletes can show us

“Work-life balance” is sort of an oxymoron, just like “seriously funny” is.

Since the pandemic forced privileged white-collar workers (myself included) into work from home (WFM), my wife and I often joke about our work-life “blending”, as opposed to “balancing”.

Whichever term you prefer out of the two, somehow, the idea that you can successfully “balance” and juggle competitive demands from multiple areas of our lives sounds odd. And for good reason. You often hear from successful people about the personal sacrifices they made to reach the heights of their sport or profession. The pursuit of excellence often seems to come at a cost: an imbalance between professional achievements and personal ones.

Growing up, whenever we wanted to eat the cake whilst simultaneously owning it, my dad liked to remind my brother and I of the adage: “tout choix, implique renoncement”, loosely translated into English as: “choosing is forsaking” (an alternative choice).

So, it would stand to reason that one cannot truly balance work and life’s demands. When you’re succeeding at one, you’re not really doing well (so it would seem) at the other...

On the other hand, a lot has been written over the years and can still be said about “Ikigai”- the Japanese philosophical concept where work life and life purpose itself, intersect.

In this edition of “The Leader’s Game Plan”, I do not want to delve into this concept; rather, I want to look at the strategies athletes use to balance—or blend—their personal and professional lives and provide actionable takeaways for business leaders.

Athletes, like professionals in high-pressure fields, often grapple with achieving a work-life balance. However, their approaches to managing intense schedules, mental well-being, and personal relationships offer valuable lessons. Research and case studies provide clear evidence on strategies that work, and these can also be applied in professional environments.

Having said that, I strongly encourage you to check-out Ikigai-The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles, if you aren’t already familiar with it (Link embedded above).

Prioritizing Well-Being as a Long-Term Strategy

It all starts and ends with you. If you’re not right within, you will be of no use to others and no amount of external stimuli will make it right.

Research shows that recovery isn’t a luxury but a necessity. For instance, one article showed how online Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) & mindfulness-based interventions significantly reduced burnout symptoms among Norwegian junior athletes over a 12-week period (see:MDPI).

This approach reflects a broader trend where athletes embrace active recovery for sustained peak performance.

Game Plan: Similarly, business leaders should view self-care not as a luxury but as a cornerstone of sustainable success. Allocating time for recovery can lead to better decision-making and creativity.

Schedule "recovery windows" in your week. Engage in mindfulness practices, exercise, or even structured downtime to prevent professional burnout.

The "Training" vs. "Competing" Separation

Training yourself to compartmentalize areas of work and life could help you create clear boundaries between work and personal life.

Athletes are experts at separating practice from competition or yet again family time, for example. A 2015 study involving junior Norwegian athletes highlighted the importance of training journals to track workload and prevent burnout. Athletes balanced high-volume schedules by monitoring progress, setting clear boundaries, and integrating rest periods into their plans(See MDPI).

Elsewhere, training, even though taxing on the body due to physical demands can also be arranged around family and friends. Nowadays, it’s not uncommon to see wives and children of professional boxers in camp with them as they prepare for a fight. This can provide emotional comfort, and the saying goes: “a happy fighter is a dangerous fighter”.

Game Plan: Use time-blocking techniques in your daily work to create boundaries between tasks and personal time. Track productivity through journals or apps to avoid overcommitting.

Treat planned or mandatory rest periods like athletes treat Off-Season/Off-Camp periods

Athletes use the off-season not just to get stronger by Strength & Conditioning or technical training but also to rest and plan for personal growth. A study in The Sport Journal showed how elite athletes utilize downtime to reconnect with family and set long-term goals (see:The Sport Journal). These habits ensure they return stronger both mentally and physically, but also emotionally.

In Japan, despite the stigma with taking long holidays, we are fortunate to have several mandatory national holidays throughout the year ranging from Golden week, Obon to Mountain Day.

As the holiday season approaches, think about how you can use the Christmas and New Year Holidays as boosters for your own business or leadership growth. ?

Game Plan: Consciously treat holidays and weekends as your "off-season". Use this time for skill development or reconnecting with loved ones, ensuring you're refreshed.

Support Systems seem to be key in achieving Work-Life Balance

The role of support systems in sustaining athletes' balance see essential. From coaches to family members, support networks help athletes navigate challenges but also provide a shoulder to cry on or a crouch to walk with in case of need. Studies on mentorship and team dynamics show that athletes who lean on support structures maintain better mental and physical health (see: The Sport Journal)

Game Plan: I’ve talked about it before, but make sure to build your professional "team" by cultivating mentors and peers who can support you during high-pressure periods. Don’t underestimate the power of “venting”.

Towards Work-life Harmonization

In my opinion it is not possible to achieve full work-life balance; but creating harmony between competing priorities is. By adopting strategies that athletes use—mindfulness, recovery, support networks, and structured downtime—you can craft a sustainable work culture and fulfilling lifestyle.

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