Do not rush to leave something that is supposed to be fun.

I saw a meme on Linked-In that said ALWAYS LEAVE THE OFFICE ON TIME. Ostensibly this was about the futility of work and the need to have meaning in our lives beyond slavish efforts for the boss or the business.

Whilst I understand and respect the need for a work-life balance and the importance of Friends, Family, Fitness, Food, Fun and well as Finance my inclination is that if you are rushing for the exit at 5pm you are probably in the wrong job.

I’m not aware that great leaders or inspirational people delineate their time so precisely . Surely if you care for your colleagues, community, country or culture that isn’t something that is strictly between 9am and 5pm with a different set of values and behaviors at other times?

I am lucky that I like what I do, and what I do allows me to share ideas and help people and organizations achieve their goals. I realize I am lucky. However that luck is not without having to make difficult choices.

If you dread Monday or cannot wait till Friday then I suggest you make a change in your life because only living for the weekend means that over the course of your life you will slave for 50 years (five days) to enjoy 20 days (the weekend) that that is not a great return on your investment of time and effort.

Friends, Family, Fitness, Food, Fun are really important, but so is what you do. In many cases what we do defines us as a person, gives us identity and gives our lives meaning. It is great then to share the knowledge, joy and excitement outside of work. But I strongly suggest you find something that brings you the knowledge, joy and excitement for you to be able to share it.

Yes, you should have balance in your life but you should not be rushing to leave work any more than you would rush to leave a friend, family member or a fun party.