It’s Not About Work-Life Balance. It’s Life Balance
By Stephen Ashton, Chief Executive Officer
Forty Years In, And Still Learning
This year, I’ll be in the supply chain industry for 40 years. That number still shocks me, to be honest. In some ways, it feels like yesterday that I started, but in others, the world I entered back then is almost unrecognisable today.
Over four decades, I’ve seen the sector evolve, technologies come and go, and the expectations placed on leaders grow heavier. I’ve had the privilege to work with brilliant teams, steer big projects, and hold senior leadership roles. And yet, when I look back, the moments that truly stand out are often the ones outside of work – the nativity plays, the university open days, the late-night runs in the rain. Too many of those moments I drifted through, half-present, with my head full of work. If I had my time again, I’d prioritise those life moments just as fiercely as I ever did a board meeting.
Reframing the Narrative: From Work-Life to Life Balance
Let’s get something out of the way: I don’t believe in work-life balance. The phrase itself suggests a separation that doesn’t exist. You don’t have a work self and a life self. You’re just you.
Instead, we need to talk about life balance. Because if your personal life is in chaos, your professional performance will suffer. And if your well-being is frayed, your leadership will falter. True balance starts with understanding what grounds you, and giving yourself the permission to protect it.
This isn’t about being soft. It’s about being strategic. Leaders who operate from a place of calm and clarity make better decisions. Teams led by people who are present and composed don’t freeze under pressure. They get the butterflies, but not the paralysing fear.
Putting Life Into the Diary First
It took me years to realise this, but now I actively schedule personal time in my work calendar. Monday evenings? That’s Running Bear, my local club. It’s in the diary like any other non-negotiable. I’ve learned that if you don’t protect your time, someone else will fill it for you.
It’s not just about fitness, although running helps keep me sane. It’s about modelling something powerful: that it’s okay – necessary, even – to block out space for the things that make you feel like yourself. That might be a gym class. It might be attending your child’s sports day with time before and after to decompress. It might be walking your dog or simply sitting with a coffee and letting your thoughts settle.
We treat work tasks as sacred. Why not our own lives?
The Power of Boundaries
One of the simplest but most transformative decisions I’ve made? I leave my phone in another room at night. It’s not revolutionary, but it creates a buffer between my rest and the noise of the day. That’s a boundary. And boundaries aren’t just personal – they’re cultural.
We need to normalise saying no. We need to be explicit about our limits and respectful of others’. Whether that’s avoiding work emails on weekends or honouring someone’s decision to take a proper lunch break, these micro-decisions set a tone. They say: you matter, not just your output.
Being Kind to Yourself Isn’t Weakness
There’s a phrase my wife often uses: “Be kind to yourself.” It sounds simple, but in a world where performance is prized above all else, it’s surprisingly radical.
As leaders, we’re used to being the ones with answers. We carry weight. We hold space for others. But we rarely do the same for ourselves. When was the last time you said to yourself, “Well done”? When was the last time you recognised your own effort without caveats?
Training for the Manchester Marathon at 60, in the middle of winter, was brutal. But I did it. And when I came back from a freezing, rain-soaked run and stood dripping in the kitchen, I reminded myself that showing up matters, even if no one else sees it.
Leadership is a Human Role, Not a Technical One
I’ve mentored people for years, and what they usually need isn’t technical expertise – it’s space. Space to think. Space to breathe. Space to hear themselves.
I remember telling someone once, “You’re like the umpire being punched by both boxers. Step out of the ring.” He came back to me years later and said he still uses that image to recalibrate. That’s what leadership should offer: perspective.
We need fewer executives who drive performance at any cost and more who foster environments where people feel safe to try, to fail, to recover, and to grow.
Fear Doesn’t Motivate. It Paralyses.
There’s a myth that pressure creates diamonds. It’s catchy, but unhelpful. What pressure often creates is paralysis.
I’ve seen it too many times – talented people shrinking under the weight of unrealistic expectations. You can see it in their eyes: the panic, the exhaustion, the numbness. That’s not resilience. That’s burnout.
The best environments are those where people have the butterflies – but not the paralysing fear. Where performance stems from trust, not terror. Where leaders ask “What do you need?” rather than “Why isn’t this done yet?”
Leading Without Fear: A Resolution Worth Keeping
I’ve stopped giving my team performance objectives. That might sound strange, but what matters more is the culture we create. I want Visku to be a place where people are motivated by purpose, not pressure, where they can deal with life’s curveballs without fear. Where being human is an asset, not a liability.
Our goal? Create a high-performing business and build a team that’s in it for the long haul. Both matter. Equally.
And Finally… Be the Human Difference
If you’ve read this far, thank you. If there’s one message I want to leave you with, it’s this: you are not a job title. You’re not your inbox. You’re not your to-do list.
You’re a person, living a life. And when that life is in balance, everything else – your leadership, your relationships, your performance – follows.
Let’s stop chasing a perfect balance between two worlds that aren’t separate. Let’s build one life we’re proud of.
And let’s lead others to do the same.