Koyaanisqatsi Is A Hopi Prophecy Total Disintegration Pink Floyd Atom Heart Mother

Prophecy Hopi Indians Warned America For Year And Yet Nobody Listens ? It warn us that we are entering a dangerous period in our lives, as governments have abrogated native title and the time of plenty is coming to an end. Koyaanisqatsi is a Hopi prophecy that marks the total disintegration of the life of harmony and balance. According to Hopi Dictionary: Hopìikwa Lavàytutuveni, koyaanisqatsi is defined as “life” or “chaotic” life. In Lockdown Revisiting Koyaanisqatsi Revisiting Koyaanisqatsi in Lockdown explores this mythological destruction. Koyaanisqatsi is a Hopi Prophecy It is an apocalyptic vision that warns us that if we dig precious things from the land, we will invite disaster. Near the Day of Purification, cobwebs spun back and forth in the sky and a container of ashes might one day be thrown from the sky which could burn the land and boil the oceans.

The Hopi prophecy of the curse of Koyaanisqatsi marks the total disintegration of the life of harmony and balance. The subject of a poem of modern day environmental devastation also shown in the mythological destruction of the ancient Hopi city of Pivanhonkyapi.

The Hopi Prophecy - The Hopi Message to the United Nations (12/10/92)
 
We Hopi believe that the human race has passed through three different worlds and life ways since the beginning. At the end of each prior world, human life has been purified or punished by the Great Spirit Massauu due mainly to corruption, greed, and turning away from the Great Spirit's teachings.
 
The last great destruction was the flood which destroyed all but a few faithful ones who received a permission from the Great Spirit to live with Him in this new land. The Great Spirit said, "It is up to you, if you are willing to live my poor, humble, and simple life way. It is hard but, if you agree to live according to my teachings and instructions, if you never lose faith in the life I shall give you, you may come and live with me."

The Hopi and all who were saved from the great flood made a sacred covenant with the Great Spirit at that time. We Hopi made an oath that we will never turn away from Him.
For us the Creator's laws never change or break down.
 
To the Hopi the Great Spirit is all powerful. He appeared to the first people as a man and talked with them in the beginning of the creation of this world.

He taught us how to live, to worship, where to go and what food to carry, gave us seeds to plant and harvest. He gave us a set of sacred stone tablets into which He breathed all teachings in order to safeguard his land and life.

In these stone tablets were made instructions and prophecies and warnings. This was done with the help of Spider Woman. Before the Great Spirit went into hiding, He and Spider Woman put before the leaders of the different
groups of people many colors and sizes of corn for them to choose their food in this world. The Hopi was the last to pick. The Hopi then chose the smallest ear of corn. Then Massauu said, "You have shown me you are wise and humble. For this reason you will be called Hopi (people of peace)."
 
It was to Spider Woman's two grandsons the sacred stone tablets were given. These two brothers were instructed to carry them to a place the Great Spirit had instructed them. The older brother was to go immediately to the east, to the rising sun and upon reaching his destination was instructed to immediately start to look for his younger brother who shall remain in the land of the Great Spirit. The older brother's mission when he returned was to help his younger brother (Hopi) bring about peace, brotherhood and everlasting life.
 
Hopi, the younger brother, was instructed to cover all land and mark it well with footprints and sacred markings to claim this land for the Creator and peace on earth. We established our ceremonials and sacred shrines to hold
this world in balance in accordance with our first promise to the Creator.

This is how our migration story goes, until we met the Creator at Old Oraibi (place that solidifies) over 1000 years ago. It was at that meeting when he gave to us these prophecies to give to you now at this closing of the Fourth
World of destruction and the beginning of the Fifth World of peace.
 
He gave us many prophecies to pass on to you, and all have come to pass. This is how we know the timing is now to reveal the last warnings and instructions to mankind. We were told to settle permanently here in Hopi land where we met the Great Spirit and to wait for Older Brother, who went east, to return to
us. When he returns to this land he will place his stone tablets side by side to show all the world that they are our true brothers -- when the road in the sky has been fulfilled and when the inventing of something, in Hopi means,
gourd of ashes, a gourd that, when it drops upon the earth will boil everything within a large space and nothing will grow for a very long time.
 
We were told that three helpers who were commissioned by the Great Spirit to help Hopi bring about the peaceful life on earth would appear to help us and that we should not change our homes, our ceremonials, our hair, because the true helpers might not recognize us as the true Hopi. So we have been waiting
all these years.
 
It is known that our True White Brother, when he comes, will be all powerful and will wear a red cap or red cloak. He will be large in population and belong to no religion but his very own. He will bring with him the sacred
stone tablets. With him there will be two great ones, both very wise and powerful. One will have a symbol or sign of the swastika, which represents purity and is Female, a producer of life. The third one or the second one of the two helpers to our True White Brother will have a sign of a symbol of the sun. He, too, will be many people and very wise and powerful. [One will have the symbol of the moja, or cross.] We have in our sacred Kachina ceremonies a gourd rattle which is still in use today with these symbols of these powerful
helpers of our True Brother.
 
It is also prophesied that, if these three fail to fulfill their mission, then the one from the west will come like a big storm. He will be many in
numbers and unmerciful. When he comes he will cover the land like the red ants and overtake this land in one day. If the three helpers chosen by the Creator fulfill their sacred mission, and even if there are only one, two, or three of the true Hopi who remain holding fast to the last ancient teaching
and instructions the Great Spirit, Massauu will appear before all, and our would will be saved.
The three will lay our a new life plan which leads to everlasting life and peace. The earth will become new as it was from the beginning. Flowers will bloom again, wild game will return to barren lands, and there will be abundance of food for all. Those who are saved will share
everything equally and they all will recognize Great Spirit and speak one language.
 
We are now faced with great problems, not only here but throughout the land. Ancient cultures are being annihilated. Our people's lands are being taken from them, leaving them no place to call their own. Why is this happening? It is happening because many have given up or manipulated their original
spiritual teachings. The way of life which the Great Spirit has given to all people of the world, whatever your original instructions, are not being honored. It is because of this great sickness called greed, which infects every land and country, that simple people are losing what they have kept for thousands of years.
 
Now we are at the very end of our trail. Many people no longer recognize the true path of the Great Spirit. They have, in fact, no respect for the Great Spirit or for our precious Mother Earth, who gives us all life. We were told that someone would try to go up to the moon, that they would bring something back from the moon, and that after that nature would show signs of losing its balance. Now we see that coming about. All over the world, there are now many signs that nature is no longer in balance. Floods, drought, earthquakes, and
great storms are occurring constantly and causing much suffering. We do not want this to occur in our country, and we pray to the Great Spirit to save us from such things. But there are now signs that this very same thing might happen very soon on our own land.
 
Now we must look upon each other as brothers and sisters. There is no more time for divisions among people. Today I call upon all of us, from right here at home, Hotevilla, where we too are guilty of gossiping and causing divisions even among our own families, out to the entire world where thievery, war, and lying go on every day. These divisions will not be our salvation. Wars only bring more wars, never peace. Only by joining together in a Spiritual Peace with love in our hearts for one another, love in our hearts for the Great Spirit and Mother Earth, shall we be saved from the terrible Purification Day which is just ahead.
 
There are many of you in this world who are honest people. We know you spiritually for we are the Men's Society Grandfathers who have been charged to pray for you and all life on earth, never forgetting anything or anyone in
our ceremonials. Our prayer is to have a good happy life, plenty of soft gentle rain for abundant crops. We pray for balance on earth to live in peace and leave a beautiful world to the children yet to come. We know you have
good hearts, but good hearts are not enough to help us out with these great problems. In the past, some of you have tried to help us Hopis, and we will always be thankful for you efforts. But now we need your help in the worst way.
 
We want the people of the world to know the truth of our situation. This land which people call the Land of the Freedom celebrates many days reminding people of the world of these things. Yet in well over 200 years, the original
Americans have not seen a free day. We are suffering the final insult. Our people are now losing the one thing which gives life and meaning to life -- our ceremonial land, which is being taken away from us. Hotevilla is the last holy consecrated, undisturbed traditional Native American sacred shrine to the Creator.

As the prophecy says, this sacred shrine must keep its spiritual pathways open. This village is the spiritual vortex for the Hopi to guide the
many awakening Native Americans and other true hearts home to their own unique culture. Hotevilla was established by the last remaining spiritual elders to maintain peace and balance on this continent from the tip of South America up to Alaska. Many of our friends say Hotevilla is a sacred shrine, a national and world treasure and must be preserved. We need your help.
 
Where is the freedom which you all fight for and sacrifice your children for? Is it only the Indian people who have lost, or are all Americans losing the very thing which you originally came here to find? We don't share the freedom of the press because what gets into the papers is what the government wants
people to believe, not what is really happening. We have no freedom of speech, because we are persecuted by our own people for speaking our beliefs.
 
We are at the final stages now, and there is a last force that is about to take away our remaining homeland. We are still being denied many things including the right to be Hopis and to make our living in accordance with our
religious teachings. The Hopi leaders have warned leaders in the White House and the leaders in the Glass House[the United Nations] but they do not listen. So as our prophecy says then it must be up to the people with good
pure hearts that will not be afraid to help us to fulfill our destiny in peace for this world. We now stand at a crossroad whether to lead ourselves in everlasting life or total destruction. We believe that human beings'
spiritual power through prayer is so strong that it decides life on earth.
 
So many people have come to Hopi land to meet with us. Many times people have asked how they can help us. Now I hope and pray that your help will come. If you have a way to spread the truth, through the newspapers, radio, books, through meeting with powerful people, tell the truth! Tell them what you know
to be true. Tell them what you have seen here, what you have heard us say; what you have seen with your own eyes. In this way, if we do fall, let it be said that we tried, right up to the end, to hold fast to the path of peace as
we were originally instructed to do by the Great Spirit.
 
Should you really succeed, we will all realize our mistakes of the past and return to the true path -- living in harmony as brothers and sisters, sharing our Mother, the Earth with all other living creatures. In this way we could
bring about a new world, a world which would be led by the Great Spirit, and our Mother will provide plenty and happiness for all.
 
God bless you, each one of you and know our prayers for peace meet yours as the sun rises and sets. May the Great Spirit guide you safely into the path of love, peace, and freedom. May the holy ancestors of love and light keep you safe in your land and homes. Pray for God to give you something important to do in this great work which lies ahead of us all to bring peace on earth.
 
We, the Hopi, hold the sacred stone tablets and now await the coming of our True White Brother and others seriously ready to work for the Creator's peace on earth. Be well, my children, and think good thoughts of peace and togetherness. Peace for all life on earth and peace with one another in our homes, families and countries. We are not so different in the Creator's eyes.

The same great Father Sun shines his love on each of us daily just as Mother Earth prepares the substance for our table, do they not? We are one after all."
 
The United Nations Mission
 
In 1959, a delegation of six traditional Hopi leaders, led by the late spiritual leader, Dan Katchongva, traveled to the United Nations Building in New York to fulfill a sacred mission in accordance with ancient Hopi instructions. Because of their prophetic knowledge, the Hopi leaders felt it was time to go east, where "a house of mica" [The United Nations building] would stand at this time, where Great Leaders from many lands would be gathered to help any people who are in trouble. They were to go when the lands of the Hopi and other Indians were about to be taken away from them and their way of life was in danger of being completely.
 
Mr. Thomas Banyacya sprinkled corn meal next to the podium of the General Assembly and made a brief remark in Hopi that translates as follows:
 
Hopi spiritual leaders had an ancient prophecy that some day world leaders would gather in a Great House of Mica with rules and regulations to solve the world problems without war. I am amazed to see the prophecy has come true and you are here today! But only a handful of United Nations Delegates are
present to hear the Motee Sinom (Hopi for First People) from around the world who spoke here today.
 
My name is Banyacya of the Wolf, Fox and Coyote Clan and I am a member of the Hopi sovereign nation. Hopi in our language means a peaceful, kind, gentle, truthful people. The traditional Hopi follows the spiritual path that was given to us by Massau'u the Great Spirit. We made a sacred covenant to follow his life plan at all times, which includes the responsibility of taking care of this land and life for his divine purpose. We have never made treaties with any foreign nation, including the United States, but for many centuries we have honored this sacred agreement. Our goals are not to gain political
control, monetary wealth nor military power, but rather to pray and to promote the welfare of all living beings and to preserve the world in a natural way. We still have our ancient sacred stone tablets and spiritual religious societies which are the foundations of the Hopi way of life. Our history says our white brother should have retained those same sacred objects and spiritual foundations.
 
In 1948, all traditional Hopi spiritual leaders met and spoke of things I felt strongly were of great importance to all people. They selected four interpreters to carry their message of which I am the only one still living today. I made a commitment to carry the Hopi message of peace and deliver warnings from prophecies known since the time the previous world was destroyed by flood and our ancestors came to this land.
 
My mission was to open the doors of this Great House of Mica to native peoples. The Elders said to knock four times, and this commitment was fulfilled when I delivered a letter and the sacred prayer feather I had been
given to John Washburn in the Secretary General's office in October, 1991. I am bringing part of the Hopi message to you here today. We have only ten minutes to speak, and time is late, so I am making my statement short.
 
At the meeting in 1948, Hopi leaders 80, 90 and even 100 years old explained that the creator made the first world in perfect balance where humans spoke one language, but humans turned away from moral and spiritual principles. They misused their spiritual powers for selfish purposes. They did not follow nature's rules. Eventually the world was destroyed by sinking of land and separation of land by what you would call major earthquakes. Only a handful survived.
 
Then this handful of peaceful people came into the second world. They repeated their mistakes, and the world was destroyed by freezing, which you call the great Ice Age.
 
The few survivors entered the third world. That world lasted a long time, and as in previous worlds, the people spoke one language. The people invented many machines and conveniences of high technology, some of which have not yet been seen in this age. They even had spiritual powers that they used for
good. They gradually turned away from natural laws and pursued only material
things and finally only gambled while they ridiculed spiritual principles. No one stopped them from this course, and the world was destroyed by the great flood that many nations still recall in their ancient history or in their religions.
 
The Elders said again only small groups escaped and came to this fourth world
where we now live. Our world is in terrible shape again even though the Great Spirit gave us different languages and sent us to four corners of the world and told us to take care the Earth and all that is in it.
 
This Hopi ceremonial rattle represents Mother Earth. The line running around it is a time line and indicates that we are in the final days of the prophecy. What have you, as individuals, as nations and as the world body been doing to take care of this Earth? In the Earth today, humans poison their own food, water and air with pollution. Many of us, including children,
are left to starve. Many wars are still being fought. Greed and concern for material things is a common disease. In this western hemisphere, our homeland, many original native people are landless, homeless, starving and have no medical help.
 
The Hopi knew humans would develop many powerful technologies that would be abused. In this century, we have seen the First World War and the Second World War in which the predicted gourd of ashes, which you call the atomic bomb, fell from the sky with great destruction. Many thousands of people were
destroyed in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
 
For many years there has been great fear and danger of World War Three. The Hopi believe the Persian Gulf War was the beginning of World War Three, but it was stopped, and the worst weapons of destruction were not used. This is now a time to weigh the choices for our future. We do have a choice. If you, the nations of this Earth, create another great war, the Hopi believe we humans will burn ourselves to death with ashes. That's why the spiritual Elders stress strongly that the United Nations fully open the door for native spiritual leaders as soon as possible.
 
Nature itself does not speak with a voice that we can easily understand. Neither can the animals and birds we are threatening with extinction talk to us. Who in this world can speak for nature and the spiritual energy that
creates and flows through all life? In every continent are human beings who are like you but who have not separated themselves from the land and from nature. It is through their voice that Nature can speak to us. You have heard those voices and many messages from the four corners of the world today. I have studied comparative religion, and I think in your own nations and cultures you have knowledge of the consequences of living out of balance with nature and spirit. The native peoples of the world have seen and spoken to
you about the destruction of their lives and homelands, the ruination of nature and the desecration of their sacred sites. It is time the United Nations used its rules to investigate these occurrences and stop them now.
 
The Four Corners area is bordered by four sacred mountains. The spiritual center within is a sacred site. Our prophecies say it will have special purpose in the future for mankind to survive and now should be left in its natural state. All nations must protect this spiritual center.
 
The Hopi and all original native people hold the land in balance by prayer, fasting and performing ceremonies. Our spiritual Elders still hold the land in the Western Hemisphere in balance for all living beings, including humans.
No one should be relocated from their sacred homelands in this Western Hemisphere or anywhere in the world. Acts of forced relocation, such as Public Law 93-531 in the United States, must be repealed.
 
The United Nations stands on our native homeland. The United Nations talks about human rights, equality and justice and yet the native people have never had a real opportunity to speak to this assembly since its establishment until today. It should be the mission of your nations and this assembly to
use your power and rules to examine and work to cure the damage people have done to this Earth and to each other. Hopi Elders know that was your mission and they wait to see whether you will act on it now.
 
Nature, the First People and the spirit of our ancestors are giving you loud warnings. Today, December 10, 1992, you see increasing floods, more damaging hurricanes, hail storms, climate changes and earthquakes as our prophecies said would come. Even animals and birds are warning us with strange change in their behavior such as the beaching of whales. Why do animals act like they know about the earth's problems and most humans act like they know nothing? If we humans do not wake up to the warnings, the great purification will come to destroy this world just as the previous worlds were destroyed.
 
(Thomas and Oren Lyons held up a picture of a large rock drawing in Hopiland)
 
This rock drawing shows part of the Hopi prophecy. There are two paths. The first with technology but separate from natural and spiritual law leads to these jagged lines representing chaos. The lower path is one that remains in harmony with natural law. Here we see a line that represents a choice like a bridge joining the paths. If we return to spiritual harmony and live from our hearts, we can experience a paradise in this world. If we continue only on this upper path, we will come to destruction.
 
It's up to all of us, as children of Mother Earth, to clean up this mess before it's too late.
 
The Elders request that during this International Year for the World's Indigenous Peoples, the United Nations keep that door open for spiritual leaders from the four corners of the world to come to speak to you for more than a few minutes as soon as possible.
 
If any of you leaders want to learn more about the spiritual vision and power of the Elders, I invite you to come out to Hopi land and sit down with our real spiritual leaders in their sacred Kivas where they will reveal the ancient secrets of survival and balance.
 
I hope that all members of this assembly that know the spiritual way will not just talk about it, but in order to have real peace and harmony, will follow what it says across the United Nations wall: "They will beat their swords into plowshares and study war no more." Let's, together, do that now!
 
Delivered and Submitted by Martin Gashweseoma,
For The Great Spirit, Massau'u:
 
We come here from the Sovereign Hopi Nation to attend the Cry of the Earth
Conference at the United Nations. We are proud that you have opened the door for us. My name is Martin Gashweseoma. As Hopi, we have come here to present our message which is about how we first came here from the previous world.
 
The Hopi way is to lead a good life and through our ceremonials and mediations, we take care of this land and life. We still have the sacred stone tablets given to us by the Spider Woman. This is our title and deed to this world, and it was given to us with the life plan to follow, and with strong instructions and serious warnings. It was a good life. When the rains came and brought a lot of moisture, then our crops would yield enough for all living beings, including the ants, animals, birds, plants and human kind.
 
Before leaving the previous world, we came up here to ask permission from the Great Spirit, Massau'u, if we could live here with him because the world down below had become corrupted. He told the people, 'It is up to you if you are willing to live with full respect for my way of life.' They said, 'Yes we are willing to live your way.' So with his consent we came here, into this new world. This world is where the Great Spirit, Massau'u, first appeared to all
first peoples and gave them their instructions and rules to follow. Then the Spider Woman laid before them ears of corn of different colors from which to take their sustenance and livelihood. The greediest people hurried to pick out the longest ears. But the Hopi, being the most humble, waited until last and chose the shortest ears of corn. Spider Woman then gave each group of people their own language and name and told them to migrate to every corner of this continent leaving their footprints, clan markings, and ruins to claim
this land.
 
Before the migrating peoples arrived at the place where the Great Spirit, Massau'u, lives, he used to take walks nearby his home. Coming back home, bringing back violet flowers, he dropped them along the way. After
discovering he had dropped the violet flowers, he went back to look for them, but the flowers had already been found by the Horny Toad Woman. The Great Spirit, Massau'u, asked if she would give it back but the Horny Toad Woman refused. Instead, she told him that in time there would be a crisis in this world, with which he would need help. At that time she would be there with her steel helmet to help. Meaning that someday if the Hopi got into trouble, a group of people with the steel helmet would help them.
 
The Great Spirit, Massau'u, let the first group who had found him live there with him and settle down. Each subsequent group of people who came to settle in Oraibi after their migrations were allowed to stay based on judgment of their character and how they had traveled when they were searching for the
Great Spirit, Massau'u. Those who were boastful and arrogant were sent away to the east. Those of humble and sincere hearts were allowed to stay and keep the ceremonials in the proper manner to ensure rain for the crops and all living things. After this was settled, all the things that were to come were told to the first people in Oraibi by the first people that came from the underworld.
 
The people were told of another race of people who would come to this land and claim it as their own land. We were told not to accept anything these people would offer to us, but it will tempt us and be hard to resist. They would be intelligent and the inventors of many things. Now we realize that these people are the light-skinned people, the Bahanas. We were told of something that would come that would be pulled by animals, meaning wagons or carts. And ones that would run very fast, meaning automobiles. We were told of the land being cut up by long roads and fences, and of highways that would be built in the sky. And that women would adopt male clothing. And that the secret of women, with clothing, covered, would no longer be secret, but be
revealed and exposed.
 
When this happens, all the world leaders and all the people will be corrupted and will not know whom to look to for direction to correct this corruption. When all this happens, it will mean that we are all nearing the end. Then the
wars will come about like powerful winds, and will spread from country to country and bring Purification or Destruction to this world. The more we turn away from the instructions of the Great Spirit, the more signs we see in the
form of earthquakes, floods, drought, fires, tornadoes, as Nature makes ready her revenge. All of this will happen at one time along with the wars and corruption. We see this now as young children become angry, killing each other and their parents. They show no respect. We are all corrupt. If this
Purification does not materialize, then the world will turn over 4 times and will leave only ants here to start a new life. Before people came to this world they were sick, just as today, we are sick from all this corruption.

Now we are seeking a way to solve our present situation. This is the last world, we are not going anywhere from here. If we destroy this, the highest world, we will be given no other chances.
 
Let us consider this matter seriously so that this world is not destroyed, so that we can continue to live and save this land and life for the generations to come.

Living a life of harmony and balance means having harmonious sync between your personal, professional, and social pursuits. It is important to balance all the facets of life so that we don’t live in constant internal conflict. Ditching work-life-balance can lead to prioritizing your work over your personal life, which disrupts your work-life harmony. Additionally, trying to go beyond one’s physical and mental capacity to juggle one’s professional and personal life can have an adverse effect on one’s health such as fluctuating blood pressure, upset stomach, anxiety or depression.

How to Achieve Work-Life Balance in Today’s World Many people work remotely these days, with plenty of them doing so for extended periods of time. While remote work has increased flexibility and reduced commute time for some, resulting in better integration of work and personal life, others find it difficult to maintain a healthy work-life balance due to the blurred line between work and personal life.

According to a survey conducted by Fingerprint of Success, 65% of people admit that now that they work remotely, they are working longer hours than ever before.[1]

The survey also discovered that 66% of full-time employees in the United States do not strongly believe they have work-life balance, and 51% of people say they have missed important life events due to insufficient work-life balance. So, how can we achieve a more realistic work-life balance today?

What Is Work-Life Balance, Really?
Work-life balance is the balance of one’s work responsibilities and personal life obligations such as family, friends, hobbies, and self-care. It entails managing and prioritizing these aspects of your life in such a way that you can have enough time, energy, and resources for both work and personal life.

People who have a good work-life balance can maintain their physical and mental health, increase productivity, reduce stress, and improve job satisfaction. It should be noted that work-life balance does not imply an equal distribution of time between work and personal life, but rather a balance tailored to an individual’s specific needs and priorities.

What People Are Wrong About Work-Life Balance
To better understand what work-life balance entails, it is necessary to also define what work-life balance is not. I’m going to debunk some of the common misconceptions about work-life balance.

Work-life balance does not imply perfect time and energy allocation.
One of the most common misconceptions about work-life balance is that it entails perfectly balancing your time and energy between work and personal life. This is simply not realistic or achievable for most people, and failing to achieve it can lead to feelings of guilt and failure. In reality, finding a work-life balance that works for you and your specific circumstances is the goal.

Work-life balance does not have a one-size-fits-all solution. What works for one person may not work for another, so finding a balance that works for your unique contexts is critical. This may require some trial and error, but it will be worth it in the end to live a more fulfilling and satisfying life.

Work-life balance is about more than just work and life.
The idea that work-life balance only involves balancing work and personal life is another common misconception. A healthy work-life balance, on the other hand, entails more than just these two aspects. It’s also about balancing other important aspects of life like relationships, health, and hobbies.

Work-life balance is more than just time management. It’s also about figuring out how to prioritize these other important aspects of life in order to live a full and satisfying life. You might need to adjust your work schedule or figure out how to fit these elements into your daily routine to accomplish this.

Work and life are not incompatible.
Another common misconception about work-life balance is that the two are inherently antagonistic forces. However, work and personal life do not have to be opponents. Integrating work and life successfully can lead to a more fulfilling and satisfying life.

For instance, some people view their work as having value and meaning. Work can actually improve their personal life when they feel they are making a meaningful contribution and using their skills and talents. This is especially true for those who feel strongly connected to their work and their personal values.

On the other hand, personal life can benefit work. People who have a strong support network of family and friends are more likely to feel energized and motivated to tackle work challenges.

Why Is Work-Life Balance Important?
Work-life imbalance has been shown in numerous studies to significantly harm employee performance and productivity.[2] The negative impact even extends beyond work performance and productivity to other aspects of life.[3]

Obesity, cardiovascular disease,[4] and poor sleep quality can all be caused by a lack of work-life balance.

An unbalanced life can increase the risk of mental health problems such as depression and anxiety.[5] It can also lead to burnout, which is characterized by physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion.[6]

Work-life balance issues can lead to strained relationships with family and friends. They may not have enough time to spend with loved ones, or they may be too tired or stressed to engage in meaningful interactions.[7]

Moreover, people feel as though they are missing out on other significant aspects of life when work consumes their personal lives. This can result in a loss of motivation and a sense of purpose in life.

People who have a healthy work-life balance, on the other hand, experience less stress, which leads to better physical and mental health. They are also more motivated and have stronger interpersonal relationships.

How to Tell If Your Work-Life Balance Is Healthy
According to research published in the Harvard Business Review, reflexivity, or challenging presumptions to raise self-awareness, is the key to striking a better balance between professional and personal priorities.[8] This involves regularly checking in with yourself to see if your work-life balance is in sync. Here are the five steps to take:

1. Pause
Consider what is currently causing you stress or unhappiness. What impact does this have on your work and personal life? What are you putting first? What are you passing up?

We rarely pause to consider our work until a major life event occurs, such as a serious health problem, the birth of a child, or the death of someone close to us. However, simply pausing and reflecting on your priorities can help you determine whether the way you live and work is right for you.

2. Pay Close Attention to Your Emotions
How do you feel now that you’re more aware of your current situation? Are you fulfilled and happy, or are you angry and resentful?

Being aware of your emotions can help you decide which changes to make.

3. Reprioritize
Take into account what needs to change. For instance, you might want to consider whether working long hours or working on the weekends is worth missing out on time with your family or your social life.

4. Consider Your Alternatives
Is there anything you can change at work to accommodate your new priorities?

5. Make Changes
Last but not least, take action to make change happen. Perhaps that means asking for flexible hours, making sure you use all of your annual leave, or not checking emails on weekends.

The 5 steps outlined above are a continuous cycle of re-evaluation and improvement. You must remember to pause, pay attention to your emotions, rethink your priorities, consider alternatives, and implement changes throughout your personal and professional lives in order to make real changes.

How to Achieve a Realistic Work-Life Balance
Those who attempt to achieve work-life balance solely by dividing their time and driving a sharp wedge between work mode and life mode are unintentionally dividing themselves.

When people juxtapose ‘work’ and ‘life,’ they unconsciously think in terms of ‘work’ versus ‘life,’ and are constantly forced to choose one over the other. In this framework, a gain on one side is always a loss on the other.

As a result, people begin to see ‘work’ when they are not living. ‘Work’ is viewed as a necessary evil that must be endured until it is time to turn it off. But there is no balance if you encode everything related to work as negativity and suffering while your ‘life’ strains under unrealistic expectations of enjoyment.

Rebalancing work and life is possible by seeking a new and enjoyable job to a certain extent. However, no job is perfect. There will always be tedious aspects to any job. If you don’t change the old framework, you’ll soon find yourself on the same ‘life’ versus ‘work’ see-saw.

The true goal is to redistribute the positive (+) and negative (-) evenly across life.

Most people try to make everything positive outside of work to compensate for the negativity at work like this:

If everything is negative at work and everything is positive when the work mode is turned off, work performance will suffer, creating even more negativity. People will rely heavily on their off-mode life for happiness, but they will not be truly happy because they are not dealing with problems at work.

Meanwhile, some make an effort to bring positivity into their workplace. Their work-life balance may look like this:

Unfortunately, if these people remain stuck in the old on/off framework, all of their negative emotions will be transferred to their off-mode self, and their relationships and health will suffer.

I used to be one of these people.

I gave my all to the work I do because I loved it. I expanded my business about 8 years ago, but because I spent almost all of my energy on my work, I had no time to take care of myself.

I couldn’t sleep well, was frequently stressed, and suffered from back pain as a result of the stress. These health issues began to interfere with my daily life and ability to concentrate at work.

On the other hand, very few people are fortunate enough to experience happiness on both sides of the equation. Their work-life balance looks like this:

If you are fortunate enough to experience positivity from both sides, congratulations! You make up less than 5% of the population.

But if you’re in the other 95% of people, don’t miss these steps to get a realistic work-life balance:

Recover the Sense of a Unified Self
The solution is to regain a sense of unity within oneself. When you do, you will deconstruct the competing work/life binary and stop unconsciously labeling work as “suffering” and life as “enjoyment.” Positive energy will begin to flow effortlessly and smoothly throughout your life.

To regain a sense of unity, ask yourself: Why do I do what I do in life and at work?

Your response to this question forms your blueprint for a unified self, charged with meaning that is directly related to who you are and what you care about.

Use your blueprint to examine your work, leisure, and relationships to see if they are in sync.

This new framework is called ‘alignment,’ not ‘balance.’ This will reveal to you several things:

Some aspects of your work are not suffering: Look again, and you’ll notice many positive aspects that reflect your interests. For example, you may value creativity and recognize that you have opportunities to demonstrate it every day at work.
What you care about at work is the same as what you care about in life: For example, you may value friendship in your life and demonstrate this value to your coworkers. Your values are present in all of your interactions and serve to unite you.
What you do at work and what you do in your personal life complement and enhance one another: For example, the same generosity you show your friends can help you build good client relationships at work. Your creativity at work can be applied to overcome obstacles in your personal life.
As a result, you will never need to use the on/off work model again because you will always act in accordance with what you truly value. Your positive energy will flow consistently through all of your states of being in a perpetual positive feedback loop.

So for me, after realizing how much I needed to change my daily habits, I began to reprioritize my life demands and reorganize my schedule to ensure that I had enough time dedicated to self-care and exercise.

I gradually began to strike a more realistic work-life balance as follows:

Your new perspective on balance and alignment is an inner transformation that can empower you regardless of your current circumstances.

For example, it could reveal your dissatisfaction with your current job. You can then use your blueprint to determine what is causing the negativity; perhaps something isn’t aligned with what you value. This can also be used to remind yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing, or encourage you to make a change.

If you’re a workaholic, your blueprint may reveal that what you previously dismissed as ‘off-mode’ (relaxing, having fun, pursuing a passion, spending time with family and friends) contains a wealth of values that support – and even enhance – a well-rounded working life.

Conclusion
Achieving a healthy work-life balance does not entail striving for perfection or attempting to balance all aspects of life equally. Rather, it is about figuring out how to balance work and personal life in a way that feels fulfilling and meaningful. Prioritizing important relationships, maintaining physical and mental health, and engaging in hobbies and leisure activities are all examples of this.

You can achieve a more balanced and fulfilling life by taking a more realistic approach to work-life balance and recognizing the value of work and personal life integration. This may require some changes to work schedules or personal habits, but the benefits of achieving a healthy work-life balance are well worth the effort.