So many of us are seeking it, but how do you actually get it?
Many of my clients start our sessions saying they are looking for work-life balance. In this age of women must do everything, it is so difficult to juggle it all. And after coaching women through this topic, I have realized that much of obtaining work-life balance is knowing your limits and standing your ground. So here are some tips and tricks I recommend to get you there.
Identify your priorities
Identifying your personal and professional priorities are key to obtaining balance at work and in your life. What are your non-negotiables? What is it that you can simply not live without and will not compromise? I’d suggest you make a list for both work and your personal life and get clear on these priorities asap.
Talk about your priorities
After you have identified your work and personal life priorities you may hit a bit of a conundrum. Your work priorities may kind of be in conflict with those you have identified for your life. For example, you may want to get that next kickass promotion, but also can seriously not miss out on your kids thursday night soccer games. Don’t worry and please don’t panic and think this isn’t possible. Just do this…talk about your priorities with your employer, HR, and your supervisor. Need to leave two hours early on Thursday night, have a conversation with your supervisor and be ready to explain how this need will absolutely not affect your work productivity. You have priorities, but unless you start voicing them, no one in your circle is going to know you need them realized.
Delegate, Delegate, Delegate
Too many times I’ve heard the “I need work-life balance” speech and let me just say, of course you do. You are doing and taking on WAY too much. We as women are not only balling at work, but also trying to be amazing wives, kick ass moms, and the ever connected friend. If this is you then please stop. You are killing yourself. What you need is to learn the art of delegation. Scary to give up control, I know and I’ve been there. But it’s bliss. I highly recommend making a list of your weekly tasks and activities at both work and home. Once that list is done, write the name of someone who can help next to half of the tasks. Significant other, bestie at work, colleague, friend, in-law..whoever! Now start going down that list and asking these folks for help. Hey if they say no that’s ok, but I bet half of them will say yes. And now volia….25% of your weekly tasks are gone like that.
Dump the time sucks
This is especially important at work. Get clear on your job, no seriously. Look at your job description and compare it to the activities you do. Discuss any items outside of your position description with your supervisor. Be clear on how you are needed to complete your actual job and how these other work tasks are time sucks. Work with your supervisor to get these off your plate and move on staying laser focused. Chatty co-worker or instagram surfing during work hours needs to be limited. Yes I know, I love this stuff too and occasionally it’s fine. Just make sure to slate time for your mental break and really stick to it. Use your work time wisely so it it doesn’t start bleeding into personal time.
Keep work at work
When you are at work be a force, but when the clock hits five you leave that shit behind. Make it a point to not take work calls or answer emails outside of office hours. If you answer that email at 9pm believe me people are going to think that it’s ok to email you at 9pm. Make sure your personal time is valued. If it is allowed, do not even add work email to your phone and keep work and personal calendars separate. This way you don’t get any alerts to your personal devices when that show off coworker sends an email on Friday night.
Set time for you
If you remember nothing from this post please remember this…you can not give anything to anyone else if you are less than 100% you. And being 100% you means recharging and giving yourself the time for self-care. Start a self-care routine now and put it in your calendar. Want to get a mani-pedi every other Sunday? Great, put it in your home calendar and let your family know of the new addition. Not only that, stick with it. And remember, it is not at all selfish to occasionally think of you first. You don’t do it enough so hey why not take a few hours for you.