Work/Life Balance – the big new buzz phrase – is actually a serious matter for all of us.
We’re living in the information age - an era of incredibly fast change. On a daily basis we’re being overwhelmed with new information and alternatives pertaining to our work, our health, our lifestyles, our families, our technology and every other conceivable matter pertaining to the business of life. We’re also living in an era of abundance – we’re constantly being bombarded with bigger, better, brighter options – and we relentlessly have to make choices. The modern lifestyle is fast, overwhelming and driven by materialism. The net result is that we work increasingly hard and often burn ourselves out in an attempt to continue to expense our lifestyles.
So how do you stand firm in the eye of the storm?
You need to become your own solid foundation through focusing on a balanced, satisfying life. To achieve a sense of balance you have to get the basic building blocks into place: Rest, Exercise and Nutrition. I know, you’ve heard it all before… and now you’re hearing it again (if you keep hearing the same thing, eventually you’ll pay attention).
Rest is about getting enough sleep and spending enough time on leisure (non goal-directed leisure). Our bodies were built to move, so Exercise combats the negative effects of the modern sedentary life. Getting exercise means engaging in physical activity for a period of at least 20 minutes, a minimum of 3 times per week, which causes the heart rate to quicken and the brow to break a sweat. Nutrition is about getting the right nutrients into your body to provide you with the fuel to function optimally.
In addition, we need to pay attention to work and love. Doing the right kind of work means your job is satisfying and meaningful to you – not all the time, but most of the time. Love, broadly speaking, is about the relationships that you have in all spheres of your life - romantic, social, business, familial or spiritual – having satisfying relationships most of the time, despite their twists and turns, is optimum.
Case History: Lloyd C
Lloyd was an entrepreneur with a tremendous passion for his work; he was inclined to get totally absorbed in projects – a great quality for success. He was a shrewd businessman, a tough negotiator and a terrific deal-maker. His business was winning and he felt in control of his own destiny…But things just didn’t seem right in the rest of his life.
He worked exceedingly long hours, never found the time for sports and hobbies and often got home really late at night. His days were exhilarating and satisfying but in the evenings and on the weekends he simply crashed, exhausted from the long hours.
Lloyd’s wife got pretty fed-up with this lifestyle. When she’d married Lloyd, she’d signed up for a partnership, she married him for many reasons including the fact that she really enjoyed his company and liked to spend time with him. She felt that she was being cheated and started to question whether this was the way she wanted to spend her life.
Lloyd started gaining weight and before he knew it, he had a weight problem, his blood pressure was too high and his blood sugar levels were alarmingly high. His doctor warned him that unless his changed his lifestyle, he’d be a classic candidate for diabetes. At this point, while business was great, Lloyd’s marriage was becoming a distant memory and his health showed signs of giving in. He had some work/life balance choices to make!
Today, Lloyd is on track – things are not perfect, but they’re a lot better. He’s made the work/life balance choices – he’s cut back on the working hours, started exercising regularly (with his wife), seldom looks at email on the weekends, organises frequent weekend getaways and has started to have regular medical check ups.
Lloyd made a choice to take good care of himself and his marriage. Not only has his health and primary relationship benefited, he’s also more productive at work. He doesn’t work the hours that he used to, but his abilities to concentrate and think creatively have improved – his doctor reckons it’s as a result of his improved physical health, plus his exercise and rest patterns.
To find out more about work/life balance, go to www.lifebalance.co.za
Work/Life Balance – The Basic Building Blocks – Rest, Exercise, Nutrition, Work and Love - To learn more about this author, visit Lee-Anne Thomson's Website.
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