At Proteus, our theme for 2025 is "Bringing Leadership Back."
This year, it’s all about reconnecting with what real leadership looks and feels like - showing up with purpose, being fully present, and making a meaningful impact. It’s not about titles or authority, but how we lead ourselves and others in everyday moments.
With that in mind, let’s challenge one of the biggest myths out there: the never-ending quest for work-life balance.
Being busy is not a badge of honour!
If you're alive and have a job, then chances are you’ll be busy, stretched and maxed out more than you would like.
But what about the pursuit of the elusive work-life balance? This I believe is misguided. At best, it’s an idealised myth. At worst… it’s a deeply flawed goal.
Let me share a story.
Just before the COVID lockdowns, I was facilitating a multi-day leadership program for twenty leaders. Early on, I asked the group a simple question, “What’s your goal by being here?”
One excited but very stressed chap (around my vintage) spoke up, “I want to gain some Work-Life Balance!”
I responded, “Well, we’re not covering that in this program. What makes you say that?”
He admitted, “I’m driving my family, my team, my boss and myself crazy. I’ve been chasing work-life balance my whole career, and I just can’t crack it!”
It was then that I made my declaration. “What would happen if you simply gave up that goal of obtaining Work-Life Balance?”
He looked at me incredulously, “You can’t be serious - that’s my number one priority!”
So, I asked him a different question: “What if you flipped your thinking on this?”
Here’s the twist, the concept of work-life balance assumes that you ‘don’t have a life’ when you’re at work. But work is part of your life - an integral part. Why not embrace it and be fully engaged while at work, instead of compartmentalising it as a wasted part of your life?
What if, instead of striving for balance, you aimed for boundaries?
Work-Life Boundaries
At Proteus, we say go for ‘Work-Life Boundaries’.
When you’re at work, be present at work. When you’re at home, be present at home.
And when you’re in what’s called the Third Space - that beautiful space in-between professional or personal responsibilities, which as we know is always easier to do - be present there too.
Basically, wherever you are – be present!
The key lies in creating habits. Ones that ritualise your routines.
Here’s An Example
Try this. Dedicate 60 minutes to deep, uninterrupted work - no email, no notifications - followed by 30 minutes to tackle emails. Then have a break before you switch back to another block of focused time. It’s a rhythm, a ritual, and it works!
Ritualise Your Day
Once you create great habits of ritualising your workplace routines, then you can start to create a personal culture of being fully present through Work-Life Boundaries… by ritualising your day.
Through creating healthy workable rituals like meditation, exercise, practicing gratitude, setting-up and packing down, deep work followed by deep recovery, and so on, this will help you to switch from one important dimension of your life to the next important part.
This builds flow, fosters focus, and amplifies your effectiveness.
Because here’s the bottom line. Being perpetually busy, overwhelmed and stressed out is not just dangerous - it’s really all a bit silly!
So, here’s my challenge to you: flip your mindset. Let work-life Boundaries trump the futile pursuit of work-life Balance.
Wishing you a week of clarity and focus… creating rituals and work-life boundaries.
Richard Dore
Co-CEO - Director of Partnerships
Proteus Leadership
Having Conversations That Matter
Some of the toughest roles for modern day leaders is dealing with the ‘difficult people’ situations at work and navigating challenging conversations with their peers and bosses.
Leaders are now expected to meet their targets, engage staff, give regular positive feedback, build great relationships and coach their people to create a high-performance culture.
But leaders are also required to address poor performance and inappropriate behaviours quickly and effectively. All within an environment where people know their rights and expect fair and reasonable treatment.
The good news is that Having Conversations That Matter will create better leaders, build workplace resilience, transform relationships and create clear economic consequences for the organisation.
Half-Day Virtual Workshop: 20 February
Topics:
Creating A Positive Culture
Creating Positive Cultures is about giving people the skills and permission to destroy dysfunction, kill off negative influences and provide the space for all your positive people to shine and thrive.
Great leaders and workplaces don’t allow their culture to happen by default, they design it together by agreeing to operate above the line in a positive, professional and proactive way.
This allows for a psychological safe space to innovate, stay relevant, to fight clean, develop resilience, gratitude and a growth mindset, while giving staff permission to call people out on any toxic behaviours.
This results in a self-regulating culture where people celebrate achievements while creating great relationships, products and services.
Half-Day Virtual Workshop: 27 February
Topics:
