How do you find the middle ground in work-life balance?
Is work-life balance really a myth? Every now and then, I pop over and read the fabulous musings of Cali Yost. She’s an expert blogger on the work-life subject for Fast Company and hosts her own site at the Flex+Strategy Group. I like Cali’s content. And I agree with her: work-life BALANCE is something of a myth. She prefers the phrase “work-life fit.”
Fit. I like that. After all, have we ever, for a single day, truly had “balance” in our lives?
Corporations preach it in their recruiting materials and employee benefits books. Day cares and preschools offer to help us out with it. But if I concede that there’s not really a balance and it’s more of a “fit,” then I think we’re well on our way to making some progress in these days that we live that are brimming with non-stop activity.
It’s pretty simple to see when things are off-kilter: we stay at the office too late, answer emails at odd hours from our smart phones and our voicemail inboxes fill up like the laundry basket.
I put together three tips that you can start using TODAY to make your work-life balance a bit more balanced. Put on your life like it fits and stop trying to button that top button when you had the extra helping of your neighbor’s awesome potato salad at the picnic last night!
Work-Life Balance Tip #1: Take Lunch
Yes, I’m crazy. And I’m telling you to take lunch. Whether you work from home or in an office, step away from your work domain for a minimum of thirty minutes. Stop scheduling conference calls during lunch. Don’t answer your phone. Don’t respond to emails. Unplug – and see how much easier it is to plug back in.
Work-Life Balance Tip #2: Hard Stops
Not unlike taking lunch, give yourself a “hard stop” at least two days a week. This means that at 5 P.M. (or whatever time you determine), you call it a day. Not five minutes later and no excuses. Go DO SOMETHING (and enjoy it). Your inbox will still be there in the morning (and your family and friends will thank you).
Work-Life Balance Tip #3: Ask for Help
If you’re simply afraid that you can’t get everything done and the act of trying is what’s putting you off-kilter, ask for help. Hire a virtual assistant, a house cleaner or one of your teenagers to do some of the running around.
Whatever the solution, asking for help doesn’t have to be expensive or worst of all, humiliating. It can be empowering and free you up to do the things you both need and want to! Take a tip from one of my previous entries on how to offer support. It’s easier to lend and GIVE support than you might think!
Related posts:
- Business Finance: Does Your Lipstick Match Your Balance Sheet?
- Multitasking Makes Me Mad! Three Ways to Stop the Madness
- Positive Living: How to Get Out of Your Own Way
- Working From Home: Three Rules
- Email Etiquette Conundrum: Do I Have to Respond to Everyone?
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Great suggestions! Whenever someone tells me that they are working all the time, I remind them that all they need to do is to pick a day and end it early. Work will be there when they return. Although related, but not quite the same, your suggestion on taking lunch is just one way to take personal time. It could part of ending your day early, but family and life could be what you choose to spend that time on. But people should never forget that “me time”.
Oh, I agree completely! You have good insights and it sounds like you are practicing what you say – I trust it’s working masterfully!! Thanks!
YOU have a wonderful program and sincerely I LOVE YOUR WEB SITE!
Hi Karen. My girlfriend is a real workaholic. She loves to work until 2:00 a.m. every day. Any clues?
Sylvia,
Thanks for the kudos!
Reinaldo,
2am?? I remember the days when I was up unitl 2 am and then again at 6 am getting the kids ready for school! Those days are gone! Ask your girlfriend what is going on for her that she is needing to stay up so late? Does she get behind? Is she doing busy work (I did!)? Maybe she needs to manager her time better for her, not everyone else. She could make three lists: 1) Tasks I need to do 2) Tasks I like to do and 3) Tasks that make me money. Throw all the rest away. If it isn’t something she needs, likes or its making her money then it’s a waste of time. She needs to list everything she does over the course of 2 weeks. She may be surprised!
OH I agree and I need to do it. It is just so darn hard to pull away sometimes. WoW!