5:15 AM. The incessant beeping of my phone reminds me that it’s time to get out of bed and make good on all the commitments I made the day before. I wipe the sleep from my eyes and off I go for my morning run. Shower, dress, make lunches and then participate in the labyrinth of streets and interstates to work. Then its calls, meetings, lunches, and various appointments before stepping back into the suburban grid of traffic to grab dinner, kids, and prep again for the next day. So often it seems I really am “Working for the Weekend”. Thanks Loverboy and 1981 for setting the tone of my professional career.
It’s so easy to become established in our routines of work, life, kids, finances, school, etc., that we fail to realize the importance of balance in our daily lives. It’s not only important, but it is an essential tool for us to be successful in every one of our daily endeavors. Finding balance is not easy and being organized is not the same thing.
“Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony.” ~Thomas Merton
6 Little approaches to help you achieve your balance so that you can optimally perform
(adapted from Lori Deschene’s 6 Tips: Work/Life Balance for People with Big Dreams)
1. Keep your approach flexible.
Why force yourself to adhere to an arbitrarily determined timeline for relaxation? Are you really just working to get to the weekend or are you working because you have a goal in mind? A more realistic approach might be to set general guidelines and then monitor how you work within them and make adjustments as necessary. Make goals lofty, but attainable. Professional goals often differ more so than personal goals. Strive to achieve both.
2. Define the things that are non-negotiable.
While every day can be different, it will help to determine which things you just don’t want to sacrifice. If you don’t identify these things in advance, you may find them slipping, little by little, while you pull yourself in different directions because you never made a commitment to not let that happen. How often have we let a workout regimen or dinner with friends fall to the side because of increasing obligations? Did we fail to in a project at work due to over extending ourselves in another area? It’s important to reward yourself with the things you enjoy that will help you reach your goals.
3. Embrace imperfection and chaos.
There is no such thing as a perfect blog post, painting, design, website, presentation, or project. At some point, we need to look at things from a different perspective. Identify the imperfections and if it’s possible to change them, do it. Otherwise, don’t obsess with imperfection. Adapt to it. Learn from it. Take motivation from it. Even if whatever we’re doing, knowing it may not yet be finished—and that even if we complete it later, might still feel undone, you’re still making progress.
4. Let the little things go.
Have we recently irritated ourselves and others at work with a messy desk? Perhaps the dishes were left in the sink overnight after dinner and you have unexpected company the next evening? Relax. Everyone is human and being able to let go of some of the little things to accomplish bigger tasks is a requirement for us to reach our goals. Don’t sweat the small stuff.
5. Allow yourself to achieve flow.
The ultimate goal is to be present in whatever it is you’re doing. So if you’re working, put so much of your heart into it that you completely lose track of time. When you put everything you’ve got into your work, you’re more likely to create things that provide value to other people. Everyone loves someone who is passionate and eager about what they do.
6. Don’t put all your eggs in your inbox.
If you identify yourself solely with your professional roles and what you produce, you will likely set yourself up for disappointment. It’s not just that there are no guarantees in business; it’s that we’re wired to want more in life, and there is so much more to experience than the act of achieving.
The excitement of trying new things and allowing yourself to fall, get up, and grow; there’s the sensation of being spontaneous and allowing the present moment to deliver you into situations you may never have known to choose. Don’t forget to live your life.