This post is about balancing work life and personal life.
I’ve often gone on vacation only to find myself more stressed than refreshed when I’m done. Vacation has more to do with a state of mind and how we spend our vacation than how much time we take off. How often do we try to use the skills that make us effective at work-organizing, controlling, directing-to make our vacation a success, only to find that it is exactly these skills that are not compatible with a state of rest and relaxation? Putting ourselves in a relaxed mode is a real trick when we’re generally moving quickly and efficiently throughout our days.
The key to balancing work and personal time seems to be in our ability to allow ourselves to be aware of where we are and what we’re doing when we’re doing it. If we’re still thinking about work while we’re talking to our families, we really are not very effective at communicating with them. If we’re lying in the hammock on the weekend worrying about something at work, how much are we able to relax? Conversely, if we’re in a meeting dreaming about our upcoming vacation, we’re obviously not being effective at work.
Here are 3 suggestions for creating more balance between work and personal time:
- Be where you are. Much of our anxiety comes from worrying about what could go wrong, or projecting out a poor outcome when we don’t have all the facts. If I can see what’s directly in front of me and not allow my mind to wonder, it generally brings me back into the moment and gives me a chance to breathe. It’s a much better outcome then getting all stressed out about something that hasn’t happened.
- Delegate what’s not yours and some of what is. You don’t have to be a manager or leader to delegate. You can easily ask others for help and they generally appreciate being asked to share their expertise. If you are a manager and find yourself with way too much to do, make a list of the things only you can do. Everything else, should go to someone else. And, find a few things that only you can do and don’t be afraid to give someone else a shot at doing them. You might find they do a better job than you do,
- Try spending at least 30 minutes each day just relaxing and allowing yourself to “vacate.” Try not to put any demands on yourself. We often define this as ‘spacing out’ and that’s exactly why it works. Giving yourself permission to let it all go and allow spaciousness within you and outside of you feels really good!
In the words of Josephine Rathbone, “If we could learn how to balance rest against effort, calmness against strain, quiet against turmoil, we would assure ourselves of joy in living and psychological health for life.”
Kathleen