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Work and Life Balance

Written by: Lisa Phillips

Article Overview: I often hear people complaining that they their workload is too great, their working hours too long and they don’t have sufficient time to do things like go to the gym, spend precious time with family or meet up for dinner with friends. Achieving work life balance can often be such a simple goal to achieve, but why does it come so easy to some people and yet cause such difficulty to others?

Work and Life Balance

One of the reasons is our value structure. We often behave in certain ways and do certain actions based on what our values are. For example, an individual who has high values relating to family and fun, will often find it much easier to obtain a good balance between work, rest and play! That is due to the fact that family and fun, are more of a priority to them, then perhaps working 12 hours a day. However, if an individual has a value structure which has ambition, career and achievement at the top of their value list, they may find it more difficult to achieve that work life balance as these values have become the main priority in their lives.

Yes, there may always be times in our lives where we are have to work longer hours or perhaps take on extra tasks at work. But what can we do when this behaviour becomes ' the norm' and we find ourselves spending more time working than doing the things we REALLY want to do?

The first step is to quit complaining about it and make a conscious decision to do something about it - TAKE ACTION! In my experience, people are very happy to complain about their lack of work life balance but in practice, are not willing to do anything about it as they just prefer to point the finger of blame at their individual circumstances or their boss!

Work and life style balance can really be a choice. In most situations, as human beings, we have a choice whether we wish to work extra hours or not. We have a choice how long we stay in the office after our core hours or at what time we switch off that Laptop at home.

However in reality, most people will come up with excuses to why it isn't a choice. The excuses may include:

• 1) I can't leave on time as I will never get all my work done
• 2) Everyone else works late so need to do the same
• 3) I can't leave before everyone else as others will think I am not pulling my weight
• 4) If I don't do it - then who will?

In making these excuses, we have disempowered ourselves and become the Victim. We are basically saying that we have no choice in the matter. In actual fact, we are basically saying that work is far more important than we are as people. We are putting work before ourselves. Yes, work is important but so are you and your family and friends.

Here are a few ideas to take action to achieve work and life balance:

• 1) If your workload is too much, speak to someone about it. Don't suffer in silence. If people do not know your workload is too great, they cannot help you.
• 2) So what if everyone else stays late? This is your life and not theirs. Feel the Fear and leave at 5.30. Ok, you may feel uncomfortable at first but that will wear off and in time, I will guarantee your work colleagues will leave earlier too!
• 3) Everyone works at a different pace so don't beat yourself up if you leave before others. You can manage your own time and if that means you are running out the door at 5pm then go for it!
• 4) You can only the best that you can with the resources that you have. Stop beating yourself up if you don't get everything done in a day. It will wait. Seriously, I doubt the world will end if you tell your boss you will be a day late with that report.
• 5) Say No. If you already have a backlog of tasks, learn to say No to new ones. Don't be a people pleaser at your own expense.
• 6) You are the author of your own diary. Cut out unnecessary meetings
• 7) Do exercise at lunch time. Go for a walk or just sit and relax in the sun.
• 8) Set at least three days in your diary where you will leave work on time and blank these times out in your calendar.
• 9) If you have tried all of the above and find that your organisation is not supportive - look for another job. We have three choices in these situations, we can change it, accept it or walk away from it.
• 10) If you work from home, limit the amount of time you spend on the laptop / internet to free up more time. Stick a post it note on your laptop to remind you when to shut down. Most things can wait until tomorrow. Seriously.

Finally, remember that old question - Who would you wish to have around your bedside before you passed away? In most cases people answer friends and family. If that is the case, spend time with them now. I am sure work will not be sitting by your bedside.

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Article Tags: dinner with friends, precious time, time with family, work life balance, workload



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