I think some comments here are responding to the fact that OP uses work life balance in an odd way.
What I believe is being discussed is something different. It is having meaningful work.
For many people, life just isn’t fulfilling without productive achievement. And for many, career is the space where productive achievement is pursued.
Think about how a single 30 minute video meeting can drain all your energy for the entire day. This can be so much worse than long hours or stressful deadlines.
When people talk about work life balance, they tend to talk about x hours doing A, B, C.
But, even if cliche, the quality of these activities is what determines the level of satisfaction, of fulfillment.
You can spend 4 hours a day with your spouse but if your relationship is terrible and you bicker the whole time, is this good work/life balance?
It won’t feel like it.
I applaud OP for seeing on some level how precious each year of this limited life is, and making a self-aware choice about how to spend some of them.
What I believe is being discussed is something different. It is having meaningful work.
For many people, life just isn’t fulfilling without productive achievement. And for many, career is the space where productive achievement is pursued.
Think about how a single 30 minute video meeting can drain all your energy for the entire day. This can be so much worse than long hours or stressful deadlines.
When people talk about work life balance, they tend to talk about x hours doing A, B, C.
But, even if cliche, the quality of these activities is what determines the level of satisfaction, of fulfillment.
You can spend 4 hours a day with your spouse but if your relationship is terrible and you bicker the whole time, is this good work/life balance?
It won’t feel like it.
I applaud OP for seeing on some level how precious each year of this limited life is, and making a self-aware choice about how to spend some of them.