Work and Life Balance With a balanced life, your self esteem will build quickly because you'll have more time to invest in yourself and more time to reflect and make changes. You will be more focused, directed and purposeful. You will have the state of mind that creates the life you want. A hectic life make us yearn for calm . But life can't always be calm. That's because life balance is a dynamic process. It is like standing on a ball when you are constantly shifting your body to stay upright. You move towards balance when you are trying to achieve it, away from balance when things are out of kilter. You move through balance when life is going smoothly. Stress happens when life is out of balance. Stress can make you sick. To find out how to achieve work and life balance, evaluate how centered the other parts of your life are. You can discover your balance with the top tool — The Life Balance Wheel.  Create a Life Balance Wheel1. Draw a circle similar to the one at the right.2. Divide the circle into twelve sections. Write one of of the following life areas in each section —
3. Give yourself a 1-10 point rating for the statements below (10 is super, 7 - 9 is great, 6 needs some work). Don't despair with 1-5 rating. Finding life balance is absolutely doable. Use the balance wheel and to build a calm and focused life. A. My career is rewarding. B. My relationships with family and friends are strong. C. My finances are in order. D. My health is good. E. I exercise regularly and focus on eating well. F. I enjoy fun and recreation. G. I am growing mentally, emotionally and spiritually. H. I have a good relationship with a significant person in my life. I. My home and work environments are satisfying. J. I feel passionate about something in my life. K. My emotional life is stable. L. I feel some connection to a higher force such as nature or God. Top Ways to Take Action Now1. In sections where you have given yourself fewer than six points, set three goals for improving in this area.2. Start a work and life balance journal. Describe the areas that are out of balance and the effects this has on your life. Record your time and action specific goals and keep track of your progress. The action of recording is often enough to make huge changes. This might sound like a lot of work. But making changes in our lives does take some effort. So don't skip this important step toward achieving work and life balance! 3. Check out Tips on Setting Goals for how to find successful work and life balance. 4. Return to your life balance wheel every month at first. Then, when things are going more smoothly with your work life balance, check back in every few months. Life balance has an annoying way of slipping out of control. Five Top Work and Life Balance Tips1. Consider a career changeif work has overtaken your life, if you are working evenings and weekends at the expense of your own inner balance and have little time with your family and friends. Ask yourself, "Do I love my job? Does it enrich my life?"2. Encourage Shared Responsibility at Home. Shift home responsibilities to others. Take a close look at your home demands. Are you chief cook, bottle washer and everything else in between? If so, look closely at how everyone in your home environment is contributing to the family effort and make adjustments. If your children don't have chores that contribute to the smooth functioning of your family, then engage their help. There is no free ride in this world and having everyone on board at home encourages responsible living and discourages the entitlement that many kids feel today. 3. Eat Well. Check out Optimum Health Nutrition to pump up your energy through the food you eat. 4. Build fitness into your life. When your body is tuned, you'll feel better, have higher self esteem and more energy. 5. Get Creative . Make a creativity date with yourself. This may seem an odd work and life balance tip when you already feel overburdened. Check out how to refocus your thinking and have fun at the same time with Artist Date. By shifting some of your priorities to yourself and saying no to others demands, you'll have time to find work and life balance. You can do it! Self Esteem Exercises Emotional Intelligence Public Speaking Journal Writing Journal Writing Prompts Self Esteem Quotes Setting a Goal Vision Boards Go from Work and Life Balance to Self Esteem Activities Go to Self Esteem Home Page This material is for your personal use only. |
