#lifeworktrailunbalance: things cannot always run smoothly

Almost exactly eight years ago, I was in Canada for the Fulda Challenge. In the Arctic wilderness, we tackled 10 sporting disciplines, including a half marathon at minus 40°C, dog sledding and ice climbing. Survival tasks such as harpoon throwing, building snow caves and cooking with minimal resources also featured in the “world’s toughest decathlon”. Eight mixed pairs competed, combining celebrities such as Detlef D. Soost, elite athletes including double Olympic cross-country skiing champion Claudia Nystad, and adventurers such as Evelyne Binsack, the first Swiss woman to reach Everest and both poles.

My teammate Lisa Fail and I won my first international sporting adventure for Austria.

Each year, Austrian participants from different editions meet for a reunion. This year’s gathering ran from Friday to today, Monday, in Heiligenblut. I had looked forward to it for weeks.

Old memories: who else can say an Olympic champion beat them on the finish line?

But #lifeworktrailbalance fails when you only think about yourself. I had trained a lot and worked even more in recent weeks. Getting to bed at 1:30 or 2:30 a.m. for a few hours was normal. My day, unfortunately or thankfully, has only 24 hours. Caught between work and trail, I let life — my wife and children — suffer. I was stuck in #lifeworktrailunbalance.

Over our romantic Valentine’s dinner, Julia pointed out rather firmly that I had “been working a lot again lately”. Normally, I would have argued and defended how often I was home and spent time with her. Instead, I thought that if she felt that way, there must be something to it. I credit mindfulness training with making me more attentive and sensitive. In short, I cancelled the five-hour drive to Carinthia and stayed home.

Of course I wanted to see my friends. Sharing memories of minus 40°C is special. But sometimes a man needs to trust a woman’s intuition!

I used the last few days better and more fully. I cared for my family, spent time with them and completed good training. My wife ran on Saturday and Sunday while I played with and looked after the children. I also climbed Schneeberg once on Friday evening, twice late Saturday afternoon and three times from Sunday midday. With variety, winter scenery and wonderful sunsets, I accumulated more elevation.

Schneeberg was supposedly crowded all weekend. Where and how I travelled, I was nearly always alone :)

I cannot always be in balance, and I doubt any of us can. Life is too complex to align every activity perfectly, rationally and emotionally, and always stay in the middle. Unexpected work commitments disrupt the week, and training does not always go as hoped.

But setting priorities and fully backing my decisions restores the balance, as when I skipped Eiger101 last year to stay home for my twins’ first teeth. It takes understanding, involvement and consideration; mindfulness and attention to yourself and those closest to you. That is how it should be.

Because #lifeworktrailbalance is simply smarter!

#lifeworktrailbalance, back in balance.