Work / Life Balance

How most of us manage the balance between work and other interests

Ours is a demanding career — demanding in terms of time as well as intellectual commitment. Yet the very attribute that makes a good consultant is often his or her extensive interests and passions. We believe it is essential for the development of the whole professional to strike a balance between work and other interests.

How are these reconciled — the time and commitment to our client work, and the time and commitment to personal interests? How do we manage it in our own lives? What about firm culture?

First, we recognize that time is our most limited resource and we use it judiciously. One of the essential skills we master early on is time management. This means eliminating work that generates minimal value, designing realistic work plans, and rethinking the schedule constantly as we discover faster, better ways to make progress.

Second, we do not scrimp on our passions. The economic rewards of this business are sizeable, and most people spend freely on pursuits that give them enjoyment.

Third, we have learned to leverage the travel and flexibility of consulting work. Our hours are generally flexible, as long as the work gets done, so most people have more control over their schedules than they might at a 9 to 5 job. Travel is a central aspect of our work, yet many of us extend our itineraries to visit other regions we might otherwise never know.

Fourth, most of us have enormous reservoirs of energy. This is not a good career choice for someone who craves twelve hours of sleep per night.

Finally, while we have almost limitless enthusiasm about our work, we recognize that it is only a part of our lives. We recognize that we are better at what we do when we balance work with other things we enjoy equally.