My purpose is to help others gain the clarity and focus they need in order to manifest their intended level of greatness. As much as I drive to that end, I can’t help clients if I don’t pay attention to their work-life balance.
All work and no play not only make Jack a dull boy; it can drive Jack to a decrease in performance. The professional that forgets about family as he or she drives to a higher position on the food chain will sooner or later find out that divorce and child alienation has a very negative impact on performance.
Psychologist Robert Brooks, PhD, co-author of The Power of Resilience: Achieving Balance, Confidence, and Personal Strength in Your Life states,
“A lot of people are having a more difficult time finding balance in their lives because there have been cutbacks or layoffs where they work. They’re afraid it may happen to them, so they’re putting in more hours. But even if you don’t have much control over the hours you have to work, you can ask yourself: In what other ways am I bringing greater enjoyment into my life? Focus your time and attention on things you can control.”
In a WebMD Feature, Jen Uscher presents five tips for better work-life balance. These include:
- Build downtime into your schedule.
When you plan your week, make it a point to schedule time with your family and friends and activities that help you recharge. Don’t count on it just happening when things slow down. Things will never slow down if you don’t make them.
- Drop activities that zap your time or energy.
Many people spend too much time on activities or people that add no value. Spend some time looking at your daily activities and avoid those that zap the life right out of you. With the extra time, see #1 above.
– Rethink your errands.
– Consider whether you can outsource any of your time-consuming household chores or errands.
I like cutting my grass. But at my rate, I figure cutting the grass costs me about $475.00 per cut and hours I could be spending with family, so I hired a guy to cut the grass and I’m looking for new places to take my daughters fishing.
- Get moving.
It’s hard to make time for exercise but experts say that it may ultimately help you get more done by boosting your levels of energy and concentration. That means that hour you spend working out might translate into 2-3 hours that can be used for more enjoyable ‘life’ activities. [4-week workout program and nutritional guidelines from personal trainer and nutritionist, Trinity Perkins here.]
- Remember that a little relaxation goes a long way.
Take 10 or 15 minutes to do something that will recharge your batteries. Remember when you used to listen to birds singing as a kid; Guess what? They still sing! Go out and enjoy the music.
If you really want to get to that higher position on the food chain, and avoid the hazards of not being around and spending enough time with the family, get some balance! What do you like to do during your “unplugged” time?
Find work-life balance to be a serious issue? Self-assessment or individualized coaching can help. Check out my latest project, “Hangin Round the Barrel: How to Get Paid What You’re Worth and Be Worth What You’re Paid” or refer to individualized coaching services for one-on-one performance enhancement.