In a university commencement address several years ago, Brian Dyson, CEO of Coca Cola Enterprises, spoke of the relation of work to one's other commitments:
“Imagine life is a game in which you are juggling five balls: Work, family, health, friends and spirit. You’re keeping all of these in the air and you will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it’ll bounce back; but the other four balls are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, damaged, or even shattered. They’ll never be the same. You must understand that and strive for the balance in your life.”
He then gives several suggestions for how to do this:
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Don't set your goals by what other people deem important. Only you know what is best for you.
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Don't let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or the future. By living your life one day at a time, you live ALL the days of your life.
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Don't be afraid to encounter risks. It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.
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Don't undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different that each of us is special.
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Don't take for granted the things closest to your heart. Cling to them as you would your life, for without them, life is meaningless.
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Don't give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.
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Don't be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect. It is this fragile thread that binds us together.
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Don't shut love out of your life by saying it's impossible to find. The quickest way to receive love is to give; the fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly; and the best way to keep love is to give it wings.
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Don't run through life so fast that you forget not only where you've been, but also where you are going.
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Don't forget that a person's greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated.
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Don't be afraid to learn. Knowledge is weightless, a treasure you can always carry easily.
And remember,
"Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way. Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery and today is a gift. That's why we call it the present."