We all go through it at one stage in our work life - perhaps some of us go through it on a weekly basis -
the work/life juggling act!
Trying to balance everything at work with everything outside of work
can become somewhat of an ordeal. It often ends up with work related
items being the main priorirty on your list of things to do and your
"life" tasks being overlooked or forgotten which as a result causes us
to become tired, anxious, stressed, angry, frustrated all because there
has been no
"Me" time to reflect and rejuvenate. Take a look at these 10
tips and suggestions for work/life balance and start gaining control
over your priorities.
1.
Set goals – yes, all those years of teachers
asking us to write down our goals and dreams for what we want to be when
we “grow up” are still relevant even at the age of 30 odd. “Written
goals help you establish clarity of purpose and provide accountability”
according to Leadership Coach Mike Hawkins. Get into the routine of
reviewing your goals and reminding yourself of what it is you want to
achieve.
2.
Focus. Focus. Focus. Just like your mum used to
say when you were trying to study for an exam or had an important
recital coming up. Staying focused is a constant challenge in today’s
lifestyles. We are easily distracted by technology and day-to-day life
challenges. “Don’t let the urgent, the convenient and the immediate
distract you from the important. Stay focused on reaching the milestones
that support your goals. Be proactive. Create the habit of working
intentionally. Minimize your distractions. Make a “not to-do” list and
adhere to it.”
3. It is very easy to become
one with the crowd and
“baa” like the rest of the sheep. Don’t be sucked into following social
and cultural norms – follow your own values, goals and ideals. “Define
the few principles by which you will operate your business and your
life. Let them guide you instead of following the latest fads and
over-hyped products.”
4.
Saying NO is the hardest word to say and it is
only two letters short. It is humanly IMpossible to do everything all at
once for everyone all the time. Sometimes we do have to miss out on a
social function, family gathering, school sports match, ballet exam,
training seminar because there really are only 24 hours in a day and we
have to come to terms with prioritising the VERY important things that
need doing before the “OK, sure I will do that for you – because I
cannot say no” things.
5.
Delegate – as women, we are often the most to
fall victim to the; ”NO means NO virus.” This is because we battle to
delegate. In case you hadn’t noticed by now, most CEO’s are Men – why?
- Because men are
professionals at delegating to others. No one is
successful on their own so start handing out that extra workload, if you
have a teenager sitting around the house playing on his PSP all day –
why not
delegate a bit of the household chores to him/her. Offer a bit
of pocket money if it helps to ease the workload. If tomorrow you were
suddenly struck down with a terrible virus and had to lay in bed for two
weeks – who would you pass your work onto?
6.
Time really is of the essence so practice being
productive. For those activities that you and yourself can only do then
find ways to be as efficient as possible. “Your time is your most
valuable resource—don’t squander it. Create
reusable
templates for anything that you do repeatedly. Employ tools and computer
applications to automate your tasks as much as possible.”
7. When we were asked by our mum’s to clean our rooms when we were
younger and we would deny her request to the upmost – she was asking us
for a very good reason; (honestly.) By cleaning and tidying our rooms
we were also
organising our space and our possessions.
This lends itself to our lives as we get older, the paperwork and bills
that stack up over the month, the documents that needed signing two days
ago that are still sitting on your desk because you have actually
covered them under a pile of documents from this morning’s meeting.
Start a filing system at home and at work. “Utilize the “Do, Delegate,
Delete or File” principle” and see the difference in productivity.
8.
Energy – zzzz – If you are tired, you will not be
motivated to do much during your day – whether it be at work or at home
so ensure you get a decent night’s sleep (7 hours a night is
recommended) eat a healthy diet – if you cannot eat healthily everyday
then try to have at least 3 healthy meals per week during the week when
you need your energy the most. Do take vitamins recommended for you and
try to exercise a minimum of 30 minutes a day.
9. It is hard to NOT worry when someone tells you to
stop worrying
because if you are a worrier then worrying you shall do but try your
best to think outside of the worry box and close that box up for the
day. Worrying and stress are bad for your health and will not provide
any benefit to you or to others. “Studies show that 92 percent of what
people worry about has already happened, won’t change a thing or is
completely unfounded. Channel your energy into more productive uses. Go
exercise instead.”
10.
Open up some space on your calendar – or if need
be fill it in with “Me time” so you do not end up filling it up with
something else later on. “Pretend there isn’t as much availability on
your calendar as it affords. Take a break. Carve out some time for
reflection. The cliché that your best ideas come to you in the shower is
more fact than fiction. When relaxed, your brain is free to unleash its
power.”
Credit:
Leadership coach Mike Hawkins
