4 Steps To Finding Your Personal Balance Point

For most of us “Work/ Life Balance” is more elusive than Bigfoot!

There’s always something that gets in the way: the horrible new boss, the kids’ sporting events, the report due on Tuesday and skipping Yoga class.

Our amazing folks at Zealeap Culture Club set out to get us back in balance…

Why No Balance?

For sure our Employers are part of the problem:

• “We need to do more with Less!” has become the mantra of the last 10 years.
• Most are horrible at measuring how well we do at work, so they turn to the easy one: the number of hours we spend on the job.
• Let’s face it, some leaders just don’t care about you and your “balance”.

But we’re a big part of the problem too.

Hands up if you’ve ever had a conversation about balancing your life with your Boss?

Or with your life-partner?

Thought not.

We have to accept that we have a lot of control over the balance that’s in our lives.

Time For Some Introspection

Our Culture Club members recommend asking yourself:

• “What’s really important in my life?”
• “What is my definition of success right now?”
• “How do I define ‘happiness’?”
• “How do I spend my time each week? Does it reflect what’s important?”
• “When I get out of balance, what can I do to ‘course-correct’?”
• “What safeguards can I put in place to make sure I don’t get dangerously out of balance?”

“Switch To Manual”

Many of us people live our lives on autopilot, we don’t design balance into our lives. We need to stop being accidental, and start being intentional:

© iStock Photo

1. Draw it! Yes, scribble a picture of what’s important to you. Family, work, hobbies, friends, financial, success…make it visual. Pin it up at your desk as a reminder of the things you want to balance.
2. Accept that balance is dynamic. We almost never actually in balance – we’re constantly adjusting to competing priorities. The trend is more important than exactly where we are right now.
3. Talk it through. Sit down with your family and your boss. Discuss the competing priorities in your life, and discuss the answers to the “introspection questions” above. Talk about solutions that allow you to be successful at work AND in your life. Talk about when it’s OK to be out of balance (crunch time) and when you need to recharge.
4. “Put the Big Rocks in First”. Follow Stephen Covey’s advice (watch the video here) and make sure you are planning ahead for the most important things in your life. You’re your calendar and schedule the workout, husband time, the project at work, the kid-time, and the “me” time. Then let the other less-important stuff fill up around those “Big Rocks.”

Simple stuff really, but most of us fail on all four counts don’t we?

Being out of balance for a while is OK – necessary in fact. But being out of balance for long-periods is dangerous: for your success, your health and your relationships.

Here’s wishing you balance…whatever that means for you!

So when do you feel out of balance? And how do you achieve Balance in your life? Please share in the comments section below.

Thanks for reading,

Tim

[Next week: Balance Part 2 – Employer Perspective]

Share this: