Maintaining work/life balance is the hardest thing to accomplish in adulthood. Many people today are too busy making a living that they don’t have time to make a life. Don’t expect to continue down the same path and get any significant changes in your life. Where you go with your work/life balance should be by choice not chance. Don’t focus on what you can’t do; focus on what you can do!
1. Ask Questions and Reprioritize
- What are the things that cause me the most stress?
- What memories am I creating? What memories do I want to create in the future?
- What really are my top ten priorities for this year?
- What non-priorities will I say “NO!” to this year?
- What centers me?
- Pursue your passion persistently!!!
2. Manage Time
- Compass & Clock – they point you in the right direction and tell you how much time you have left.
- Am I spending time doing the things most important to me?
- When am I the most focused or productive?
- How much of my day is reactive?
- When does the office close?
- Stay in a morning and bedtime routine.
- Schedule “Unscheduled Time” – make an appointment for alone time to reflect, (i.e., “No commitments Saturday from 1-5pm.”).
- Set a pace that works for you.
3. Organize
- What am I really accomplishing?
- What tasks in my life could I eliminate?
- What tasks could be performed less frequently?
- What tasks could I afford to pay others to perform?
- What specific investments will I make in my core priorities this year?
4. Make Decisions
- What 3 things do I need closure on?
- What 3 things will be new initiatives for me?
- What’s the cost of this choice I need to make?
- Will this decision add value to my life or create more stress?
- What sacrifices will I make to achieve my work/life goals?
- Is what I’m doing today, worth talking about tomorrow?
- When someone makes a request, don’t make an impulsive decision, instead stall: “Let me think about it and get back to you.”
5. Let Go
- Let go of any toxic relationships or situations that drains your energy or exhausts you.
- Consult with a therapist to work through any personal issues.
- People are like elevators: Is this person going to bring me to the next level or are they bringing me down?
- Let go of things holding you back (i.e., clutter, paper, negativity, clothing, luxury items, toys, etc.).
- Prune any activities that are not productive: “What can I let go of this year?
6. Implement Action Items
- Control the impulse to act immediately. Reflect first, and then act.
- Identify and eliminate 3 things holding you back.
- Implement one micro-goal each day.
7. Possess a Positive Attitude
- Erase the tape of any negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones.
- Visualize how TODAY will be a “Totally Awesome Day”
- Move from a “Scarcity Mentality” to an “Abundance Mentality.”
- Live simply, expect less and give more.
© 2012, Dr. Thomas J. Denham, Careers In Transition LLC – Albany.com – Friday, March 2, 2012