We live in a fast-paced, technological world. This is a world where our family, friends, co-workers and acquaintances can reach us at any time of the day through any number of methods. We have every means of instant communication attached to our back pockets or our purses. So it goes without saying that we can be constantly socializing or dealing with personal matters while at work, and on the flip-side, we can be constantly working or dealing with work matters while at home. This goes deeper than just the average working person, but imagine what it's like for a helping professional, an entrepreneur, or someone who works out of their home. It can be so hard to separate these work from non-work that it feels like we never get a break from either, or we are constantly on call to whatever needs arise, no matter the time of day or the context.
I don't feel that we can possibly continue this way as a society. Enter: work-life balance. Maybe you've heard of it before? Maybe you think you're doing this, but the reality is, most of us are not. Here are some suggestions I have (and use), to balance work life and home life.
Be Selfish
This one is my favourite. I love being selfish. Because, how can we possibly give ourselves to another person, a relationship a business or an employer if we are not adequately taking care of ourselves first? For me, it's a must that I set aside a short time block daily, and a bigger one on the weekend, to just rest. It's also important that I block in time for fitness and meditation, because I recognize that if I'm not operating mentally and physically at my best, I most certainly won't be able to contribute to anything else in a meaningful way.
Be Organized
I love being organized. I bullet journal, I have a big calendar on my fridge, items in my home have a home of their own, and if they don't they get minimized! I like to visually see my schedule both during work and outside of work, so I can know where my energy can go on any given day, week or month. Do I have time to take on that extra contract or add on that new commitment? Do I have energy to go to that social event? Do I have money left in my budget to go out for dinner? Do I need to cancel a commitment to rest? Am I obligated to respond to this email or text right this minute? These questions can't properly be answered without some functioning level of organization. Being organized with my own things, time, energy and finances helps me place an appropriate value on my home life and make good decisions.
Wear the Hats
In other words, set good boundaries. I love having boundaries; I'm a rigid person by nature, and I'm also pretty selfish (see above!) so boundaries are easy-peasy for me. I recognize that isn't the way for most people though. It might be helpful to look at life through the lens of putting on our work cap then hanging it up and putting on our home cap. Our commute between the two can be the transition period from one hat to the next. For me, that looks like this: having separate cellphones for work and home; not checking work emails from home; being aware if I'm thinking about work when I'm not at work, and reminding myself that I'm not paid to mentally (or physically) do any work when I'm not at work. That also includes trying my best to leave my office at lunch time to rest my brain and my energy, whether it's going for a walk or to the gym, or finding a quiet place to read. I've also been trying really hard in the past year, to spend less time talking about work to my partner or friends when I'm at home. This is a mindful exercise and it takes practice, but it's worth it!
All of the coaching clients I've worked with in the past year have had some form of difficulty with work, whether it was separating it from home, organizing it better, staying on track, dealing with stress or managing work and home/family life. The thing that strikes me the most, is how little awareness people seem to have when it comes to having a good balance, and why it's so important. Please give these strategies a try. You might be surprised how rewarding they are, once you give yourself permission to be selfish, be organized and wear the hats!
And so it is.
If you or someone you know is struggling with work-life balance in any way, and you liked some of the information above, I invite you to consider coaching as a way to help get on track! Please have a look at my events, programs and feel free contact me for more info.
Love & light.