Balancing Life & Work -- Can It Really Be Done?

Balancing Life & Work -- Can It Really Be Done? Susan PilgrimYou've heard it before: There is more to life than work. You've thought about it and agree that it's a good idea. Perhaps you've even struggled with just how to make that idea a reality in your life. You just can't seem to find that balance between your work life and your personal life. There are only so many hours in a day. Eight-hour workdays are remnants of the past. You now spend 10 and sometimes 12 or 14 hours working. That doesn't leave much time for anything else, does it?Finding and maintaining a comfortable balance in life is a universal challenge. As an executive, you're always aware that the success of your organization is up to you. It's likely that you focus so much time and attention on work that you sacrifice other areas of your life. Your responsibility for finances, products, services, customers, and employees is time-consuming and often overwhelming. There's no surprise that you feel out of sync.
Part of the confusion about "balance" comes from thinking that balance means equal amounts of time. Consider a new definition of balance -- paying attention to every aspect of your life on a regular basis. Balance is about living InSync® with yourself so you can live InSync with others. It's about attending to your multidimensional self so you can make conscious choices about how you spend your time and energy at work and in life.
There are five aspects of living that need your attention. They are the physical, mental, social, emotional, and spiritual dimensions. Too little attention to any one of them will create the feeling of being out of sync with your self. Appropriate attention to each dimension will give you the power to find the right mix of priorities and actions for creating a balance between life and work. When you're in balance, you are more creative, more productive, and can truly experience the process of life.
Here are some actions you can take in each of the dimensions that will assist you in creating more balance between work and life:
In the Spiritual Dimension: - At work: Keep focused on the mission of the organization. Make your decisions based on what the organization is all about. Set aside time to reflect. Retreat with your executive team to spend time evaluating the vision, mission, and goals against the actual behavior of the employees and the performance of the organization. Reflect daily about your personal goals and behavior. Consider if you're on the most appropriate path for you. Determine if your daily activity is aligned with what you truly want to accomplish.
In the Mental Dimension: - At work: Plan your work and your time. Be sure to include your personal appointments, like your daughter's soccer game, in your scheduling. Look for ways to eliminate time-bandits, by using technology, uncluttering your office, and saying "no" to requests that don't fit with your master plan. Set reasonable time-lines for project completion. Hire staff who enthusiastically support the vision and mission of the organization. Delegate the work you don't really need to be doing.
In life: Schedule family and personal activities. Unclutter your home. Simplify. Let go of perfectionistic tendencies about how things should be. Set goals that allow you to discover yourself. Pursue a variety of interests unrelated to work.
In the Social Dimension: - At work: Honor relationships through open communication and conscious cooperation. Treat everyone--employees, customers, and vendors--with dignity and respect. Look at situations from different points of view. Look for the humor in running a business.
In life: Nurture your relationships. Refrain from canceling personal "appointments" because you have too much work to do. Do things for their pure enjoyment. Laugh often, especially at the silly things you do. Look for the humor in life.
In the Emotional Dimension: - At work: Monitor the emotions you feel. Take time to process what you observe. Refrain from dumping your feelings on another, especially when you're feeling angry. Take a break before dealing with an emotionally-charged situation so you can respond in an appropriate manner. At the end of the work day, release all of your concerns so you can be ready for time outside of work. Leave work at work.
In life: Take time for your self daily. Meditate, commune with nature, or read inspirational material. Get a massage. Sit and do nothing. Become comfortable with who you are outside of your title and occupation.
In the Physical Dimension: - At work: Take frequent breaks. Move around. If you find you're sitting a lot, stand up and move around about every 15 minutes. If you're on your feet, wear comfortable shoes, stretch your back and legs, and sit down periodically. Invest in an ergonomically correct work area. Take time for well-balanced meals.
In life: Exercise. Rest and relax your body. Get the appropriate amount of sleep you need. Play with young children. Eat nutritious foods. Refrain from smoking. If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation.
How you live your life is much more important than what you do. Creating and maintaining balance in life is worth the effort right now because you'll live a richer life, enjoy the process of living, and nurture your relationships while being true to your own essence. In the end, the fact that you ran a multi-million dollar organization will pale in significance to what you contributed to life. You can balance life and work if you really want to. It starts with that first step.



Balance in Life Doesn't Have To Be Elusive

Balance in life is more important than ever before. Gone are the days when our most cherished identity was our profession. We now understand there's more to life than work, and we realize the value of our roles as partner, parent, sister, volunteer, and friend.
Work will always be a given in life, and we must make way for spending time with family and friends, taking care of ourselves, and dealing with the logistics of daily living. Unfortunately, most of our energy goes to our work and the logistics, forfeiting attention to what truly matters in our lives and the lives we touch.
It is our spiritual nature that compels us to seek balance between the important and the required. Deep within we know that balance will bring us a feeling of peace and the ability to handle whatever challenge comes our way. We desire to be InSync® with ourselves so our relationships and work are more meaningful. Maintaining what seems to be an elusive balance is possible when we learn to live InSync.
Living InSync is about understanding yourself and others. It's about having a clear vision of what you want so you can pursue goals that will help you realize your dreams. When you live InSync, you readily enhance your performance at work and in your personal life because you naturally access and optimize your personal power. You use your mental capacity for making creative decisions, increasing your productivity, and taking gentle control of life. You direct your thoughts and behaviors to accomplish your goals. You look for and are open to opportunities. Your emotional, physical, mental, social, and spiritual dimensions continually evolve in harmony. When you live InSync, you create a life of balance and purpose.
To get an idea about how InSync your life is, let's consider each of the dimensions. Take this quick self assessment to examine your current status. Respond affirmatively when you engage in that behavior most of the time. Then read about the InSync behaviors relative to that dimension.
Are you physically InSync? Do you eat only when you're hungry? Do you rest and relax your body regularly? Do you refrain from smoking? Do you exercise regularly?
When you're physically InSync, you understand that the care you give your body directly affects energy, clarity of thought, and longevity. You give your body adequate rest. You set aside time daily to relax. You fuel your body with nutritious foods and exercise it regularly.
Are you socially InSync? Do you enjoy satisfying, personal relationships? Do you communicate openly with others? Do you consciously cooperate with them? Are you willing to extend yourself to help someone else?
When you're socially InSync, you delight in giving to and receiving from others. You positively influence others' lives. You nurture your relationships by openly communicating and consciously cooperating. You treat others with respect. You laugh often and enjoy having fun with others. You maintain a broad support system.
Are you mentally InSync? Can you think of more than one answer for most questions? Do you pursue personal as well as professional goals you've set for yourself? Are you organized so you can easily retrieve information? Do you expend your energy to do what's important?
When you're mentally InSync, you set goals and priorities, making sure the important tasks are accomplished. You maximize the use of your time, energy, and resources. You're organized so you're more productive. You're creative and make responsible decisions. You deal sensibly with conflict and approach challenges with enthusiasm.
Are you emotionally InSync? Do you treat yourself with dignity and respect? Do you allow yourself to feel whatever emotion you're feeling? Do you love yourself regardless of what others think? Does your self talk reflect a positive attitude?
When you're emotionally InSync, you feel, acknowledge, accept, and appropriately express your emotions. You treat yourself with respect. You set aside time for reflection. The language you use is positive. You celebrate your gifts and talents. You love yourself without condition.
Are you spiritually InSync? Do you forgive yourself and others? Do you celebrate your mistakes? Do you trust your intuition? Do you know your purpose in life?
When you're spiritually InSync, you seek to know and fulfill your purpose. You celebrate the lessons you learn from your mistakes. You are trustworthy and trusting. You forgive yourself and others. You demonstrate integrity in all matters. You acknowledge that you're an integral entity in this expansive universe. You listen to your intuition so that the choices you make are the ones that will benefit you the most.
There are no right or wrong answers -- no specific score to achieve. This exercise is to help you assess where you are right now in your life. It's designed to create an awareness about the multidimensional essence of your being. You may find that you have more affirmative responses in certain dimensions. These are the ones that get your attention. You may choose to seek ways to increase your focus on life's other dimensions.
If you want to live InSync, it's essential that you attend to each dimension daily -- no matter how busy you are or how short the time might be. Engage in behaviors that enhance each of your dimensions. Living InSync isn't complicated. To do so, however, attention to your actions, attitudes, and beliefs and your intention to respond to what you know and learn about yourself is imperative.
Living InSync is far from an elusive ideal. It's a pragmatic way you can choose to live. When you live InSync, you feel you're in gentle control of your life because you're committed to honor, nurture, and strengthen the multidimensional person you are. You ensure that your own needs are met so you can give to others freely. Living InSync makes the difference in whether you live a busy life or whether you live one that's purposeful and synergistic. For a healthy, balanced and intentional life, choose to live InSync with yourself and, in turn, with others.