New Orleans Career Coach: Work/Life Balance
What does work-life balance feel like? Just like your own physical balance, work-life balance is unique for each person and will look and feel differently for each of us. The work-life balance that is optimal for you may not be what is optimal for your partner, friend, neighbor or colleague. As individuals, we each need to seek to be continually moving towards our own optimal state of work-life balance.
Most of us know what it feels like when our work-life balance is off. We feel tired, drained, burnt-out, under-motivated, snappish, anxious, bored, unsatisfied, unfulfilled, joyless, etc. It is important to be mindful when we start to drift towards these feelings. As the shift away from balance occurs, we need to start thinking about the steps we want to take to move back towards that feeling of balance. We all strive to find that balance point where we are motivated, engaged, fulfilled and satisfied with just enough joy-filled outside of work experiences to keep us connected to ourselves outside of work. Now that we know the signs of moving away from balance, what are some things we can do to reinstate that balance most people crave?
Five Tips for Improving Work-Life Balance
Be mindful of what allowed your drift away from balance to occur. Are you working more to avoid certain things in your personal life? Do you need to address those issues so that you can leave work behind and enjoy your home life? (ex: Conflict at home with your partner may tempt you to work long hours to avoid confrontations or uncomfortable interactions.)
Review your ability to set boundaries between work and life. (ex: Perhaps you take calls, answer emails, schedule meetings, review work or produce work product outside of your expected work hours.)
Use your time at work in the most productive manner. Do you work efficiently, have good work systems in place and maintain your focus on tasks at hand during designated work hours? When you are at home, are you able to focus on your home-life in a fulfilling way? (ex: You habitually check personal email, social media, make personal calls, etc. during work hours or allow your attention to drift to work responsibilities during family time or social engagements.)
Whether at home or at work, make joy or enjoyment your priority. (ex: You look for ways to make all situations the best they can be, have a positive outlook and handle adversities with a resilient spirit.)
Use your calendar for both work responsibilities and social engagements. Keep track of your calendar, pace yourself and remain mindful of your energy. (ex: Your calendar reflects a balance of work related responsibilities as well as fulfilling social engagements. You keep yourself aware of your calendar and maintain it regularly.)
One of the best reasons to hire a professional coach is seeking help to restore your personal sense of work-life balance. A great coach can help you become aware of why life feels out of whack and help you put together a road map for getting back on track. In addition, your coach will help you move through the steps needed to achieve your goal of improved work-life balance. The two of you will break down the steps you need to take into manageable actions. Your coach will also help keep you accountable to making the progress you seek.
Achieving what you feel is your optimal work-life balance is not easy! The people around you that have managed to achieve it have worked very hard to do so. If you feel terrified to let go at work in order to have a more balanced life, consider the fact that the word “terrified” describes your state of being with respect to how you spend forty hours or more of your week! Consider that any life worth living is one where you are able to live in peace and “at-choice” with your daily life. If your life is running you, maybe now is the time to enlist in help to get you back in the driver’s seat of your own life.
Contact the Kimberly at (512) 298-9021 or via email at Kimberly@KimberlyPutmanCoaching.com today to schedule a complimentary phone consultation.
