Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.
Goethe
Work-life balance is about sustaining a balance between different aspects of our lives so that we can deliver on our commitments, achieve what is important to us, honour our values and feel fulfilled.
Step 1: Create Space for Action
This constant, unproductive preoccupation with all the things we have to do is the single largest consumer of time and energy.
Kerry Gleeson
It is easy to feel so overwhelmed by all the things we have to do that we lose sight of what is important to us. Our minds become so full of everything we haven't yet done, recurring thoughts and worries that we cannot be fully focused on the task in hand. If you ever feel that your commitments are getting on top of you, take the time to write down everything that is currently playing on your mind. This simple task acts like the save key on a computer, freeing you to focus on your priorities. It can create the space and clarity to identify what is urgent, what is important as well as to develop an action plan to enable you to feel in control again.
Step 2: Beware of Work Life Balance Thieves
What prevents you from achieving more balance in your life? Below is a list of common Work Life Balance Thieves that can deprive you of achieving a sustainable balance. Tick the ones that apply to you.
- Perfectionism
- Procrastination
- I tend to accommodate the needs of others at the expense of my own
- Lack of assertiveness and finding it difficult to say 'no'
- Lack of confidence in own ability to perform my job well
- Lack of time management skills
- Analysis/Paralysis - I can often get too enmeshed in the detail
- I am not always clear on what is important to me to achieve
- I am not comfortable asking for help
- I often allow myself to get distracted from my priorities
- Leaving on time looks like a lack of commitment
- I tend to worry about things outside of my control
- My job rarely enables me to play to my strengths
Do you have your own work-life balance thieves? Which have the greatest impact? What steps could you take to reduce the impact they have?
When our lives are out of balance it's easy to focus on everything that's wrong, which deflates our enthusiasm and can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. It's therefore important to take the time to identify what we do want, to keep focused on it and to take action to ensure we can move closer to our ideal work-life balance. If you would like the support of a coach to help you achieve and sustain a more fulfilling balance, than please contact us. In any event, we wish you the very best in establishing the work-life balance that enables you to live life to the full.