Work Hard. Play Hard.

Ironic. As I write this post, it is 1:19AM and my alarm is set for 6AM.

I feel like there is a tendency in our space (and maybe in life) to prove how busy we all are. We’re afraid to admit when we’re not working, or even worse, when we’re off the grid. Gasp! However, we’re quite likely to tweet when we’re working overtime. We pride ourselves on our lack of sleep and our lack of vacations. Some of us stay up until 4AM every night. Others wake up at that time every morning. It’s all about the constant hustle, the never-ending grind…

Trust me, I am a firm believer in working hard and working long hours. I work for a company that expects much more than the typical 9-5 out of its employees, and we are beyond happy to put in the time. From the VaynerMedia.com About Us page, “We do not believe in the ‘work smarter, not harder’ ethos. Rather, everyone is expected to work smart and work hard.” Most VM employees are night owls, but I’m an early bird. I’m generally awake by 6:30AM and in the office by 7AM. One way or the other, we all put our hours in. And we all work smart and efficiently (60 hours per week of procrastination won’t get you too far).

When it comes down to it, we know how to play hard, too! Did I mention the time we went to Vermont and competed in activities like manhunt, volleyball, and homemade golf, from the moment we got there until the moment we left? Or how about the fact that once a week after work, a decent chunk of the office plays organized basketball in the New York Urban Professionals League? You may not believe it, but we do take weekends. Most of the time.

I’m not talking about the corporate concept that working hard from 10-5 means a job well done and it’s time for happy hour. I’m not talking about companies providing performance targets so that their employees will work harder. I’m just saying that life is about balance. Work hard. Play hard.

I’m going on vacation next week with my family, to Martha’s Vineyard. The Vineyard is maybe my favorite place on planet Earth. It is the definition of relaxation. I’ll bring my phone with me and I’ll check email as I can (and maybe tweet a couple times throughout the week). But vacation is no time to focus intensely on work. Vacation is time to play.

Playing hard means different things to different people at different moments in their lives. For me, right now, it means I’ll read some books (have Delivering Happiness, Outliers, and The Book of Basketball all lined up), take naps on the beach, hang out with family and family friends, and enjoy every single moment. Why? Because when I get back, it’s time to work hard again!

It’s all relative. Some people truly do not enjoy vacation. They get stressed out and feel unproductive. And that’s fine! The key is to not burn out. Find your 30 minutes or hour per day, or a whole day on the weekend, to do something you truly love to do. If you really work hard, and work smart (efficiently), you deserve that time.

What are your thoughts? Do you abide by this philosophy? Do you make sure to keep a balance in your life? And please, feel free to share any tips you might have about this discussion (e.g. working hard, working smart, playing hard, relaxing)!