Long work hours and highly stressful jobs not only hamper employees’ ability to harmonise work and family life but also are associated with health risks. Work life conflict has been associated with numerous physical and mental health implications and having negative implications on family life.
According to a 2007 study by Duxbury and Higgins, women are more likely than men to report high levels of role overload and caregiver strain. This is because women devote more hours per week than men on average, to non-work activities such as childcare, elderly care and are more likely to have primary responsibility for unpaid labour such as house work. Although women report higher levels of work-family conflict than do men, the numbers of work-life conflict reported by men is increasing.
Work/Life Balance is meeting everyone’s needs and wants, including your own, in a realistic way, while staying in alignment with what is most important to you. It is an intentional state of harmony, satisfaction and wholeness that exists within these life areas (categories) in a person’s life: Family, Partner, Work, Financial, Social, Health/self-care, Personal & Professional Development, Me Time, Volunteer/helping others, and Spiritual.
When I say that work-life balance is “an intentional state of harmony,” I mean that it does not happen naturally, or by default. If it did, we wouldn’t have millions of stressed-out people in this world. Pursuing work-life balance is important so that you can enjoy the peace and harmony that comes from living a balanced life, from focusing your time and energies on the things that are most important to you and not just the things that yell the loudest for your attention. When we re-orient our lives toward achieving balance and satisfaction, we enjoy more peace and less stress.
Are you satisfied with where you’re at in life right now? Do you feel like you’re giving the attention you want to give to the life areas that are most important to you?
The most valuable question you can ask –
Whilst reflecting, without judgement, ask yourself “did I do my best today and what can I do better tomorrow?” This is the true path of excellence.
I find that I achieve the most balance (and harmony) in my life when I do and reflect on these things:
- Make a conscious decision to prioritise your personal values and commitments (goals) within each life area (Family, Partner, Work, Financial, Social, Health/self-care, Personal & Professional Development, Me Time, Volunteer/helping others, and Spiritual).
- Define what is Important to You. You need to become an expert in your life by clarifying your actions and activities. This is not as difficult or complicated as it seems.
- Creating “Me Time”. Once you have started to create more space by letting go of activities or people that no longer serve you, it is time to start creating “me time”. Start with as little as 10 minutes or start with an hour. You can increase or decrease with what is comfortable for you.
- Set Your Boundaries. Once you have defined what is important to you and you are comfortable with what you have, it is time to move forward by setting some boundaries. Boundaries are imaginary lines that allow you to have control over your life and stop other’s actions and behaviours from interfering in your life.
- Have a list. I am a compulsive list maker. I have an overall to do list, a daily to do list, a grocery list, a who to ring list, a who to email list, a to do for work list, a to do for home and family list, list for gifts, to do lists for other members of the family, and the list goes on! Making lists provides you with the opportunity to ask one of my favourite questions at numerous times during the day; “What is the best use of my time right now?” When I have asked myself this question, it is an opportunity to look at my list and see what I could be doing in the time I have right now and the energy I have available to me. Once you have put a list together, prioritise tasks.
- Have a weekly plan which creates a flexible routine. When was the last time you sat down and wrote down everything you do in a week on a regular basis? Including school drop offs, work commitments, home chores, groceries, you time and the many other demands on your time.
- Identify sources of stress. Identifying the things that leave you feeling stressed out unnecessarily is the first step toward eliminating them.
- Eliminate unnecessary commitments. We all wear many different hats and have commitments in a variety of areas. But when you spread yourself too thin because you have taken on too many commitments, feeling stressed is the inevitable result.
- Create a great foundation for balance by beginning with eating for excellence. Food has a direct influence on your ability to cope with challenges. Good nutrition has both a calming and an energizing effect. Mental clarity and cognitive function are also nutrition related.
A.I.M. For Balance©
A = attitude; do you have an attitude of gratitude, are you hopeful, do you adopt a never give up and determined focus?
I= inspired energy; who are you around regularly, do they sustain or drain your energy, do you drink enough water, do you eat high energy foods and do you get enough rest and relaxation?
M= meaningful order; what are your key life result areas, what are you passionate about, what desires do you have, what routines, lists, time management techniques and plans will then work for you and your unique family?
Balance is the opposite of feeling overwhelmed and negatively stressed. It is feeling purposeful, being in the now, doing your best and following what you truly desire, maintaining a connection to what is important to you and knowing you can overcome obstacles placed in your way.
Kirsty