Work and Life Balance

Introduction: Work and Life balance is a process, not an outcome. The stressful situation of trying to balance life and work changes constantly and there is no single formula for attaining a balanced life. The key is to develop creative solutions as you approach the challenges of balancing the responsibilities and joys of your multiple roles. Some of the same skills and strategies you use at work; such as planning, organizing, communicating, setting limits and delegating can be used effectively on the home-front for achieving a satisfying, fulfilling well-balanced life both personally and professionally. Balancing your life is like a juggling act. Work, home, family, and the never-ending errands will continue. Here are some Tips to get balance back into your life: Be Authentic – Be Yourself:

• Take time out and write down what your ideal life would look like. Ask yourself: where would you live? How would you make money? What would a typical workday be like? What would your life be like if you created more time for yourself?
• Take some time for YOU. Carve out time to do some of the things you like to do for yourself.
• Bottom Line: Realize that balancing your work and life is ultimately up to you. Once you are aware of what you want and who you are, you will have the focus and resources to achieve balance.

Get Organized and Prioritize:

• All work and no play make you dull. Complete an Internet search for ‘organize’ and Office Online will come up with endless tips and strategies.
• Delegate tasks with due dates at work. Give your delegates permission to certain folders on your computer so everyone you brought into a project has access to all necessary information.
• Curtail the time you spend on Email or Phone Calls, and limit interruptions from coworkers. Don’t be a slave. Try to manage your day, instead of having the day manage you.
• Clean up your office and home. The clutter of your surroundings leads to a cluttered mind, which makes it impossible to focus.
• Keep a day-timer calendar centrally located to post everyone’s activities.
• Make lists of your priorities; Arrange and score them in order of importance. Work on the highest-priority item first.
• Don’t Procrastinate. Your deadline may be days, weeks, or months away, but putting off working on a project until the last minute not only allows stress to build, it also results in you wasting time worrying about the project rather than taking productive steps to complete it.
• Bottom Line: Getting organized will not only serve you in your quest for balance, but it will also make you feel better. …a little planning can go a long way.

Build a Support Network:

• Ask for assistance from people and allow yourself to be helped.
• Get your entire family involved and work together as a team.
• Recruit friends, family, neighbors, bosses, work colleagues, etc. and ask for their support.
• Bottom Line: You can be successful and survive overwhelm with a little help from the people in your life.

Let Go Of Guilt:

• Guilt is one of the greatest wastes of emotional energy. It causes you to become immobilized in the present because you are swelling on the past.
• Guilt can be very debilitating and is a useless emotion.
• Bottom Line: by introducing logic to help counter-balance the guilt you can stay better on course.

Establish Limits and Boundaries and Learn to Say ‘NO’:

• Setting up a strong boundary is an imaginary line of protection for you.
• Developing limits are about protecting you from getting hurt from other people’s actions.
• Determine for yourself what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior from other people and decide where to draw the line.
• Bottom Line; without limits it’s difficult to say “No”.

Determine Your Own Standards:

• Wean yourself off perfectionism by making compromises without short-changing yourself and the people in your life.
• Bottom Line: Live by your own standards rather than someone else’s.

Create Time for Yourself:

• If you need to take care of work or family obligations and seem to have no time lift for you. Make time.
• Take small steps and start by taking 10 or 15 minutes to do nothing or attempt something you really like.
• Bottom Line: You’ll begin to enjoy life more and those around you will find you a more pleasant person if you take care of yourself first. This will benefit you and your family tremendously.

Make Use of Technology:

• Make use of current technology. This will allow you to conduct business on your own time without becoming a slave to a schedule.
• Self-serve websites and phone-activated systems, like voicemail, to plan workable schedules, are an absolute must.
• Bottom Line: Using current technology allows you to be more productive to make the best use of your time.

Be Forgiving, Especially of Yourself:

• You are human. You will make mistakes and fall short your ideal. Make that okay.
• Bottom Line: Forgive yourself and use your mistakes as an opportunity to learn, not to beat yourself up.

Be Flexible to Change and achieve an Integrated Life:

• Keep things in perspective.
• Create harmony in your life – a mixture of work, family and friends.
• Accept and embrace change. Understand that change is imminent. Know that as soon as you seem to get things under control, they change!
• (Don’t sweat the small stuff). It is simpler said than done, but learn to let things go once in a while. Step back and work on areas where you actually have the control – let the rest go.
• Bottom Line: The people who are open-minded and flexible, and work willingly when new changes develop are the most productive and best-adjusted individuals.

Enjoy Quality Family Time:

• Spend quality/focused time with your family and give them your full attention.
• Create positive, supportive relationships with your spouse and children.
• Get your partner or other family members to help you with your responsibilities. Delegate.
• Understand that taking care of the household, children, or parents should NOT be the responsibility of just one person.
• Find reliable Child Care and leave your children in capable hands.
• Get involved with your child’s care providers by communicating frequently and observing interactions between the caregiver and your child.
• Bottom Line: If you negotiate for what you need, you will most likely get what you want.

Improve Your Skills:

• If you work with a computer or other machinery and haven’t mastered the software or learned to operate equipment properly, get the necessary training.
• Bottom Line: Update your skills as necessary to enhance your productivity, reduce your stress and grow in your career.

Negotiate Possible Changes with Your Current Employer:

• If you need more time for yourself or your family, now may be the time to explore careers that are less stressful and more flexible.
• If you need more balance in your life you may need changes. Changes may involve working with your current employer to identify a new position, a new career, a full job search, or it may involve temping, flex time, job sharing, telecommuting, part time employment, becoming a consultant, starting a freelancing or other home based business.
• Go to your boss armed with a useful plan that shows how you will be an even more valuable and productive employee if you can modify your current work situation and perhaps take a less stressful job.
• Bottom Line: Progressive employers recognize the value of good employees, and many are willing to find ways to help employees deal with short term or permanent changes caused by family situation.

Don’t panic:

• Even if you feel panicky, you can choose modest recoverable steps to address your situation. You might consider talking with a friend, coach or therapist to get a clearer perspective.
• Bottom Line: Find a way to simplify your life. You are in charge of your life. You teach people how to treat you. So, change your lifestyle. Learn to say NO to requests if you don’t have time. Get rid of the clutter and baggage in your house – and your life.

15 Tips for Tough Times Research and experience shows that when people with anger problems change their self-talk, their anger de-escalates and they regain control. When you feel yourself starting to get overwhelmed or angry, take a Time Out and say some of these statements to yourself.

1. I do not need to prove myself to anyone. I can stay calm.
2. As long as I keep my cool, I am in control of myself.
3. No need to doubt myself. What other people say doesn’t matter. I am the only person who can make me mad or keep me calm.
4. It’s time to relax and slow things down. Take TIME OUT.
5. I feel angry; that must mean I’m hurt or scared. My anger is a signal. It’s time to pull back, look realistically at the situation, and choose to relax.
6. I don’t need to feel threatened. I can relax and stay cool.
7. Nothing says I have to be competent and strong all the time. It is okay to feel unsure or confused.
8. It is impossible to control other people or situations. The only thing I can control is ME and how I express my feelings.
9. It is ok to be uncertain or insecure sometimes. I do not have to be in control of everything and everybody.
10. It people criticize me, I can survive that. I do not have to be perfect.
11. If people want to get angry at me, that is their thing. I do not need to respond to their anger or feel threatened. No one can make me feel bad without my permission.
12. Most things that are argued about are stupid, childish and insignificant. My anger results from having old primary feelings re-stimulated. I can choose to stop, re-evaluate and walk away from fights.
13. It is nice to have other people’s love and approval, but even without it, I can still like myself.
14. Pencils are made with erasers for a reason. It is okay to make mistakes. Just use mistakes as a lesson, and an opportunity to learn.
15. People will act the way they want to, not the way I want them to.

For help in designing effective job search strategies that work, and living a more balanced life and career that is fully aligned with your passions and values, contact Winning Ways.