Work life balance

It’s the holidays and there is normally an increased emphasis on family and it can be a great time to refocus and take a break from the daily grind. The other thing this time of year is that many set goals and vision for what they want.

I set goals this time of year for the things I want to accomplish and develop my vision for where I want to be when I am setting goals the following year. One thing I have been focusing on the past few years is a work life balance. Many achievers unnecessarily sacrifice in areas that I would consider important; things like family, friends are put on the back burner for the achievement of a level of success with the intent that you will focus on them later. Never seems to work out. The time is now and every second we have is precious and once time is gone, it can never be regained. Part of our prioritizing should include some of the key areas to our lives on a daily or weekly basis.

Here are a few ways we can increase our satisfaction and fulfillment by having a proper balance.

• What is important to you? Like taking a picture, determine what you want in your picture. Make a list of things you want to do, then make it happen. Some things people may want to include are:
o Religion/spirituality
o Children
o Spouse / Relationship
o Career
o Charity
o Fitness
o Sports
o Art
o Hobbies, such as gardening
o Adventure/travel
Take some time to reflect on what is most important, what needs attention, what you want more of and then plan it into your life

• Eliminate Wasteful activities: Cut back on TV, and other things that don’t contribute to your overall vision of what you want in your life. Replace those with something productive and beneficial. Not saying totally eliminate them, but, maybe cut back a little.

• Have some “You” time: Plan time to do things for yourself that you need to do and respect that time. Treat it like an appointment with the most important person you know. You wouldn’t blow it off, so make sure you take that time for yourself in the same way. Also, when you are doing something for yourself, don’t be checking your phone, email, voice mail. How annoying is it to have a conversation with someone when they are constantly checking their phone every 5 minutes. Have respect for your time, block it off and stick to it.

• Get help when needed for balance: Don’t try and do everything yourself, get help and delegate when you can. If there is something you want to do, plan it and get help with kids, pets, when needed.

• Plan fun and recreation: All work and no play can make us burn out. Don’t wait until you retire to work on your golf game or enjoy the things you want to do. Live the life you want now. Everyone needs time to have dinner with friends, attend sporting events, go to the beach, swim, tennis, or whatever you like to do.

As kinetic beings, we need to stay in motion. This will allow you to change your focus and help you be refreshed when you return to work.

Many companies brag about how they engrain a work-life balance into their culture, but ultimately it is up to us to make it happen.

To your Success…

Ignite your passion