The struggle between personal life and work life may seem daunting at times. Time, energy, stress, motivation, and emotional presence are just a few of the resources that can run dry in your career, relationships, health, or happiness when work and life commitments are out of balance. So, how can you create more balance between work and life? We thought you’d never ask.
Change the Things You Can
The Serenity Prayer beckons us to accept the things we cannot change, to change the things we can, and to seek the wisdom to know the difference. This is great advice for finding harmony in both your work and personal life.
Consider what you really want in life. Should you change the structure of your life? Commit to a few small changes like getting up an hour early or leaving work on time. Schedule time to rest, relax, rejuvenate and revel in life. Consider letting go of time-wasting activities and people who zap your energy.
Discover and Align
The key to finding a true balance between career and life demands? Discover and align your actions with your true values and passions. This brings natural harmony into our lives. Consider the following:
- Are You a Martyr? – Do you find yourself taking on too much at work and then bringing work, stress, or an attitude home? Do you rush through lunch or skip it all together? Are you a perfectionist trying to win the favor of your boss? Do you work overtime, holidays, weekends, and other times that leave you depleted, feeling guilty, or lonely?
- Leave Work at Work? – Do you stop taking calls and answering texts and emails when you leave work? Phone calls, emails, and texts can usually wait. Constant attention to electronic devices takes you away from living and enjoying the present moment.
- Do You Delegate? – Are there things you don’t enjoy doing that someone else could do? Are there things that take a lot of time or energy that could take less effort from someone else? What takes you away from the people, places, experiences, and things you really want in your life?
- Happiness, Passion, and Your Pursuits – Are your goals and daily actions aligned with your desires? What are you passionate about? Do you set aside time for family, friends, and the pursuits that bring you joy and happiness?
What’s Working and What’s Not
One of the things you can do to improve the balance between work and life is to invest in yourself through self-care. It begins with knowing what’s working and what’s not. What keeps you awake at night or makes you feel negative or causes your muscles to tense up? What brings smiles, laughter, joy, and deep satisfaction? Evaluate these areas and then, allow yourself some much-needed self-care because you’re worth it!
Nutrition and Hydration – How we eat and drink matters. Eating a lot of inflammatory foods or not drinking enough water can cause constipation, agitation, and headaches for example. Proper nutrition and hydration keep us functioning at peak performance physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Movement – The human body needs exercise and movement. Movement is an oft-forgotten element of work and life balance. It relieves tension and helps one think more clearly. Physical exercise and movement also support the many functions of the body needed for a healthy, active, and productive life.
Rest & Relaxation – Like movement, rest and relaxation are often side-stepped in the busy lives we live. The mind and body are repaired and restored during downtime. Sleep, intentional meditation, connection with nature, ourselves, and others are all part of the oil that keeps our gears moving.
Garner Support
One of the most important aspects of self-care to create a harmonious balance between your work and personal life is having a strong support network. A strong support network can help create balance in all aspects of your life. It can help you gain perspective on negativity. Furthermore, it can help you improve your self-confidence by helping you see your potential and the contributions you’re making.
Your social and professional networks can help you find meaning, purpose, and excitement in what you do. And, they can serve as a catalyst to propel you forward with proactivity. A strong support network may include several people, including spiritual advisors, friends, co-workers, family, and professional coaches or therapists.
Finding a balance between our careers and our personal lives is a common struggle and one of the many topics addressed in our Wellness 360 program here at the IAWP. In fact, we address all areas of holistic wellness including nutrition, hydration, exercise, meditation and more. It might just be what you need to finally bring balance to your work life and personal life.
If you’re interested in learning more about our Wellness 360 program and how it can help you finally achieve a holistic work and life balance (and SO much more), just Click Here.
