Why Work-Life Balance Is a Myth (and What Actually Creates Balance)

Mar 11, 2026

Have you ever tried to create a work-life balance and felt like you were constantly failing?


You're not alone. Work-life balance is a myth, and it comes down to how you're measuring it.


Back in 2010, I was unhappy with my work. I'd checked so many boxes, but felt unsatisfied and unhappy. In this blog, we’ll look at the problem with work-life balance, the tools & what I learned that really changed the game for me and can do the same for you.

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The Problem with Work-Life Balance


The traditional idea: we've got work on one side, we've got life on the other. But the problem is that life is much more complex than just two categories. Actually, life is everything, and work is just one of the 10 areas.


This was first brought to my attention in 2010, when I started working with a coach. I was shown the Wheel of Life and could see clearly the different areas of life (eight in her wheel). Since then, I go through it at least every quarter (10 areas in mine), and I have learned to use this professional coaching tool with my clients in our first session, and at the start of all my programs.


Often, we try to achieve balance. But when work is just one of the 10 areas, we'll never balance it.


The Equal Division Trap


When I work with clients, I often see them trying to divide their time equally. We have 24 hours in a day: eight hours at work or in our business, eight hours sleeping, and the other eight hours are spent getting to work, having dinner, having lunch, wrapping up the day, maybe doing some hobbies and time with others.


I remember working with one client who felt so guilty when she needed to work more. She was saying, "I don't have work-life balance." But when there's something happening in the business, like when you're launching something, preparing for a talk, building something new, or you just gained a bunch of clients at one time, you feel like, "I'm not balancing my work and my life."


The realization for her was that the problem wasn't the number of hours worked. The problem was that other areas of her life were not getting her energy and attention. Her marriage wasn't, her kids weren't, and her ability to have fun wasn't.


What I often see in business owners is that balance isn't about equal hours between work and life. It's about feeling fully satisfied in all areas.


The first areas that will go when you're busy and not balancing things out are fun and recreation, and your health. I often see people not taking time off or working through their time off (weekends, evenings), not seeing friends, not enjoying hobbies or anything else that would bring them fun in that area.


Life Has More Than Two Categories


There are 10 areas of my Wheel of Life:


  1. Career/Business
  2. Health
  3. Personal Development
  4. Finances
  5. Fun and Recreation
  6. Physical Environment
  7. Significant Other/Romance
  8. Spiritual
  9. Friends
  10. Family


I split Personal Development into two areas because people who are spiritual or religious needed a place for that area. I'm a Christian and putting it in the Personal Development area wasn't enough.


I also split Friends and Family because people would say, "My family life is good, but my friends aren't," or "My friends are good, but my family isn't." Two different numbers, so I split that area.


Success vs. Satisfaction


What I realized was that I was measuring life according to my success, not my satisfaction.