Work to Live: How to Recalibrate

Anyone who has been on social media in the last decade has likely come across a variation of this meme:

“If you died today, your job would post the opening before your obituary was published.”

It’s a stark truth, but have you really stopped to think about it?

If you passed away today, your company would likely fill your position by next week—maybe even faster if it improved their bottom line.

But your family? They’d carry the weight of your absence for a lifetime.

This contrast is something most of us recognize on a surface level but often fail to act on in our daily lives. In a world where “hustle culture” glorifies 12-hour workdays and late-night emails as symbols of success, it’s easy to lose sight of what truly matters.

The data doesn’t lie

Disengaged

Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace Report (2023) found that 59% of employees globally are disengaged at work, even as many clock longer hours than ever, sacrificing personal time and relationships for jobs that feel meaningless.

Stressed and Sick

According to the American Institute of Stress, 83% of U.S. workers experience work-related stress, contributing to over 120,000 deaths annually. How many of those were individuals who spent their final days tied to a desk, missing moments with loved ones?

True Happiness?

Harvard’s Grant Study, one of the longest-running studies on human happiness, concluded that the quality of your relationships is the greatest predictor of happiness and well-being. Simply put: it’s the people in your life—not your promotions or paycheck—that lead to lasting fulfillment.

Let’s be clear: work itself isn’t the enemy. It’s the means by which we provide for our families and build a sense of purpose. However, somewhere along the way, many of us let our jobs overshadow the very people we claim we’re working for.

Why does this happen?

Is it the pursuit of status or wealth? A need to prove ourselves? An escape from personal struggles? Or are we so deeply immersed in the grind that we don’t even realize how disconnected we’ve become?

The pandemic disrupted this pattern for many. It forced us to reevaluate what work—and life—really mean. Personally, it gave me three wake-up calls:

1. I realized I no longer wanted to fly to a different city every week, even if being Delta Diamond Medallion was incredible. Travel was exhausting, the habits were unhealthy, and I missed my family.
2. I learned that some of the in-person work we insisted was essential could, in fact, be done just as effectively remotely.
3. Death all around us and milestones missed, I confronted the sobering reality that life is fleeting, and tomorrow isn’t guaranteed.

These lessons pushed me to redefine success and reprioritize my life. Yes, I still value doing great work, collaborating with incredible people, and earning a solid income. Occasionally, I will put in a sixteen hour work day. But I had to ask myself: Are those things more important than my health or my family? The answer was clear.

Time and energy are finite resources, and I needed to treat them accordingly. That led to three strategies for balancing work and family that I now live by.

3 Strategies to Balance Work and Family

1. Redefine Success

Success isn’t just a title or a corner office; it’s being present. It’s attending your daughter’s recital, coaching your son’s little league team, or sitting down for dinner with your spouse. Start measuring your life by these moments, not just professional milestones.

2. Set Boundaries at Work

Research from Stanford University shows that productivity drops off sharply after 50 hours of work per week—and beyond 55 hours, there’s no real output gain. Learn to say no to projects that don’t align with your priorities. Treat family time as sacred—schedule it like a meeting, and don’t compromise.

3. Audit Your Time, and Optimize

The average American spends eight hours a day on a screen outside of work, much of it mindlessly scrolling. Now imagine reclaiming even a fraction of that time and redirecting it toward your family. Your time is valuable—it has a cost.

In his book Buy Back Your Time, author Dan Martell provides a practical formula to help identify tasks you can outsource. With the rise of affordable AI tools and platforms like Fiverr, offloading low-value tasks has never been easier. Use the time you free up intentionally: create memories, deepen connections, and focus on what truly matters.

The Path Forward

Anyone who's been to a presentation, a dinner, or a Rangers game with me knows I am still a big proponent of in-person; it just doesn't have to be all the time. Pick your spots, and make the time spent in person more meaningful.

If you were gone tomorrow, who would feel the loss more? Your family, or your company?

Prioritize accordingly.

As we approach Thanksgiving—a guaranteed day of family time for most Americans—take a moment to reflect. What are you doing week-to-week to nurture the relationships that matter most? How are you balancing the demands of work and family?

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Happy Thanksgiving.

- Anthony Tsigourakos

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