Balancing Act

Work Life Balance- How to Make it a Priority

Work Life Balance- What does it mean to you? Is it a non-existent fantasy? Something that you strive for every day? Or something that falls by the wayside?

Today we’re going to look at a few steps you can take to make Work Like Balance a priority.

1. Build a Picture: Try to imagine your ideal day or even week. What does it entail? How much time are you spending on work? Family? Friends? Leisure? How do you feel with this ideal schedule in place? What are you doing differently? More of? Less of? What needs or wants are being satisfied?
2. Compare/Contrast: Now take that picture and put it next to your everyday life. How does it compare? Are you imagining quiet evenings at home with your significant other when really you’re both feverishly typing out e-mails? Or active Saturdays filled with adventure that instead turned into phone call/chore marathons that leave you feeling exhausted and unfulfilled? How are you feeling now vs. in your ideal schedule? What changes do you want to make?
3. Make Change: Many people notice that when they allow themselves to take time off they are more productive in their work lives. Pick several small steps that you can take to get your schedule more closely aligned with the ideal schedule you first imagined. Whether its banishing the paperwork to the office or making a No Cell Phones in Bed rule, there are many small changes you can make to leave work behind when you’re at home.
4. Celebrate!: You did it- you’re on your way to living your best life. You took the time to honor yourself and your relationships. Congratulations- its not easy to set limits and follow through. Keep going, practice will help these habits stick. Check in every now and then on that vision of the ideal day or week, are you still making progress towards it or have you drifted off course? Be aware that your vision may change too and that’s ok.