Challenge the Work Life Norms – The Purpose of LifeShaping

After some months of blood, sweat and tears – but mostly some sweat, really, considering the many beautiful and hot days of summer we were able to enjoy this year – LifeShaping Coaching Retreats sees the day of light with its official launch event just when the season is at its close, ready for something new to begin.

Recently I’ve spoken to a friend to check in with him on how he’s doing. He’s obviously overworked and has been so for a while. His realization was that he’s somewhat annoyed by this situation but at the same time, struggling so much to keep up with all his tasks that he doesn’t have the time to check out other job options.

In our busy lives where time is money, where tasks so often need to be taken care of immediately, where the amount and availability of information is tremendous and somewhat suffocating, we often don’t take the time to pause and think, to reflect on our current life situation and to check in with ourselves to see – or rather: feel – how we’re doing. Or, if we already realize that work (life) is starting to get overwhelming, we often don’t have, respectively: take, the time to evaluate our situation and make necessary adjustments.

This is the major purpose for which LifeShaping retreats were brought to life! By joining a weekend coaching retreat in the midst of beautiful nature, people decide to take a moment to pause their lives; to look at where they’re standing from a different perspective, to check how (un-)comfortable they are right there, and to find out and focus on what kind of changes they would like to make, primarily looking at their work life. Embedded in a 10-week-program, participants follow up and put their ideas into action, supported by a concrete next step plan and weekly guidance.

The LifeShaping launch event itself – apart from celebrating the moment and re-connecting with friends, old and new – had a similar purpose, in a miniature version: to offer space and time to meet in a comfortable, encouraging atmosphere; to reflect and get some food for thought in regards to your current work life situation, and to take some first steps to designing your life in a way most suitable to you.

The interactive vernissage-style set up was meant to facilitate just that. Participants got to think about their current work and life circumstances as they rated their satisfaction with their current work life, pondered about what they would like to change concerning their jobs, how they defined being successful, and what they would do with their time if money didn’t matter. Surprisingly, most of the items people listed were not things which would require a lot of money, or any extraordinary measures or resources. Many could be realized by just having some more time available in their work week. (For some further insights, check out the post “Small Steps To Get Closer To Your Dreams”.)

Have you ever considered to cut down on your working hours in order to make time for a hobby, to be more available to family and friends, or to just enjoy life? What would one additional free day per week mean to you? Could it add some much-needed quality to your life?

Looking at our society, choices like cutting down your working hours to 80% or even less is not exactly considered part of the options that you can just pick from the choices offered at the buffet table without at least some people turning their heads and questioning your decision – unless maybe you fulfill a certain criterion, such as having the responsibility to care for a child, or a relative in need. But isn’t it about time to say goodbye to working models that have been created decades ago, and to introduce new ways of working, new approaches to cater to the needs of today’s society?

This strongly resonates with another purpose of LifeShaping: to encourage the conversation about individualization of one’s work life, to allow and support inspiration to find your own way, your own personal work life design, with the aim to create a work life pattern that will be just the right kind of balance for you.

Society can change. Societal norms and patterns can and should be questioned and adjusted to make room for new lifestyles, for new life designs. What was once the norm may be outdated now. Many industries in Germany have a 35-hour work week in place, Sweden has made some waves by trying out the 6-hour-work-day. Challenge your status quo. Start shaping your life – the best time is now.