Work-Life Balance: Why Entrepreneurs Need Stillness

Why? Because we’ve begun to live in a constant state of overstimulation and the need for the next thing. Indeed, some have argued there are benefits to being in a heightened state of “What’s next?”

But to be in such a state constantly means you’re going to melt down.

Stillness Forces Us to Listen

It’s why I so look forward to every evening with Will.

No phone. No Twitter. No email. No  television. No books. No magazines. No blogs. No texts.

Nothing but interesting questions about penguins and lasers, followed by a white noise machine and time to quiet the buzz in my head. It’s a time to, as Leo Babauta writes at zenhabits, be still:

Be still. Just for a moment. Listen to the world around you. Feel your breath coming in and going out. Listen to your thoughts. See the details of your surroundings. Be at peace with being still.

In those times, listening to my own thoughts and the white noise, I slow down. I find peace and recharge. I practice this mindful focus so I can summon it when I need to work on things that matter.

During the day, I check email only three times. I close Twitter. I close Facebook. When I work, I work violently, but I am at peace. When was the last time you consciously tried to be still, disconnect, and find peace?

Will? He has to, or he’ll melt down.

News flash: so will I. So will you.