I reject the concepts of work-life balance and work-life integration. We have a life first, and all the decisions that we make–including those about work–should be in service of the life we want to live. Work shouldn’t be in balance with life like a seesaw. Work shouldn’t be thought of as integrated with life.

Keep it simple…and simple doesn’t mean easy. Ask, “What are you doing with your life?”

Think about the reality of what’s happening when you’re not sleeping. For a career person, you’re awake working–or doing something related to work–more hours in a day than you’re awake not working. That is your life.

So, you can have a livelihood to pay the bills, or you can pursue your “alivelihood.” Your alivelihood appears when you shape the role you want work to play in your life. When you stay grounded in your personal core values. When your primacy is clear. When you have an ideal job in mind and awareness of where you’re willing to (or not) compromise around it.

What is your alivelihood? Put work to work for you. A coach can help.