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"Life Balance: Career AND Personal Success"
By Nina Atwood
When I think of "life balance," I often visualize those plate-spinners on the Ed Sullivan show (how many of you are old enough to remember that?). At times, I have felt that was me - running over to the plate called "business and career" and spinning it, then rushing over to the plate called "family and friends" and spinning it, then careening over to the one labeled "health and exercise," and so on. The whole time, I felt ineffective in them all and fearful that at any moment one of them might spin out of control and go crashing to the floor.
I made a decision early in my career to do all that I can to make a positive difference in others' lives; this led to taking on more and more projects and more hats to wear. Today, as a business owner for over 15 years, I wear four hats: author, professional speaker, executive coach, and private practice therapist. With so many hats/plates (in addition to personal life), I am extremely challenged to stay in balance! Therefore, I have taken on the mission to discover and practice the secrets of life balance. I view this as a journey with no destination - growing to greater levels of balance and inner peace along the way. I have made a few discoveries along the way that I like to share with clients and associates.
First, take a moment and consider what is meant by "life balance." Typically, an executive or professional who feels out of balance is someone who is putting too much emphasis on career at the cost of personal enrichment. The result? STRESS! The habits that lead to this state include:
Taking work home mentally (or in reality!)
Not carving out family/recreational time
Carving it out but feeling guilty or preoccupied
Not having good boundaries: not saying "no" and not delegating
Too much micro-focus, not enough macro
Ineffective systems for managing day-to-day work flow
One discovery I have made is that always looking at things from a micro-perspective does not foster happiness and success! Now, I love focusing on the details of life and I believe that there are times when it is essential to do so. However, mastering life balance requires us to step back from the day-to-day grind and take a larger view of where we are and where we want to go. Thus, I make it my practice and encourage my clients to engage in the creation of a Vision for life and career success, one that is personal, meaningful, inspirational, and motivational. Having a personal and professional Vision Statement provides a guide, a compass, and a center to return to when life pulls us off balance.
Another discovery that I have made is that working smarter is more important than working harder. Working smarter means having systems in place that allow me to handle the details of life and work quickly, easily, and with as few steps as possible. Thus, I encourage my clients to modify their personal work and organizational systems to be truly efficient.
Having a powerful Vision Statement and re-vamping personal work systems are critical steps in attaining life balance. Cultivating these two habits alone can reduce stress, infuse life with more positive energy, and maximize productivity.
Questions to ask yourself:
When was the last time I stepped back and took a larger view of where I am and where I want to go in my life and career?
What is my Vision? What do I want in my life and for my life?
What does my workspace look like and how does it function? Is it cluttered, filled with stacks of files and papers that represent incomplete tasks? Or, is it visually appealing and inspiring, filled with photos, plants, flowers, and art.
How energized am I at the beginning of each workday? At the end? How available am I in the evenings and on the weekends to focus on family, friends, and personal/spiritual growth?
You can begin today to evaluate where you may be off balance and reach out for the support to make changes that make a real difference. Getting in balance in life takes effort, but the result is greater peace of mind, better health and well being and, ultimately, a higher level of success!
Article Copyright 2002 by Nina Atwood, All Rights Reserved
Reprints only by permission of Nina Atwood