“Balance is not something you find, it’s something you create.”
- Jana Kingsford
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Several years ago I wrote in my newsletter about work-life balance. Today, many people feel it has become a trite topic yet I am finding this to be something my clients are still challenged by. While they may not be able to name what’s going on as a work-life balance issue, they know something doesn’t feel right - they are tired, feeling like a hamster on a wheel and not accomplishing the important things.
How does this show up for you? Knowing that work-life balance has different meanings, I’d like to share a recent client session on this topic to get you thinking about your own situation.
A bit of background: This client had tried blocking off Friday afternoons for herself but it wasn’t enough. She felt she had lost all control of her time and work was dictating her days.
Me: What does work-life balance mean to you?
Client: Work-life balance means having consistency between both work and my personal life.
Me: Tell me more.
Client: When it comes to my personal life, I want to have time to do things that energize and refuel me such as reading, writing in my gratitude journal, spending time with family and friends and having dinner with my partner each night. With work, it’s having the time to complete my work tasks along with training two new hires and attending the daily slew of Zoom meetings.
Me: What makes this important to you now?
Client: Several reasons: I’m feeling burnt out, I’m not as present and productive as I’d like to be, I fear making mistakes or having work slip through the cracks, and I’m worried I’m projecting my burnt-out attitude and low energy on others.
Me: What does it look like to create the consistency between work and personal life you desire?
Client (after a long pause): It’s protecting time in my schedule every day for me. What this looks like is blocking off 7:30-9:00 am in my schedule for me to organize my day, prep for meetings, respond to emails, and get work done.
Me: Great idea! Are you willing to give that a try?
Client: Yes. I’m feeling better just saying that I will do that. The first step is to block off time in my calendar.
It’s been a few weeks since our session and I am happy to report my client has remained committed to her “morning time” and is feeling more balanced and experiencing consistency in her work and personal life. Work-life balance is something we all must create in our lives and often is a struggle to achieve. I, too, struggle with finding the right balance between the two. If you’re not sure how this is showing up for you or need help coming up with ideas regarding what to do about your own situation, join me on Tuesday, August 9th at 7pm CT for a complimentary one-hour group Zoom call to discuss the topic. Simply send me an email to megan@wallscareercoach.com and I will reply with the Zoom link. I’m looking forward to our conversation!
P.S. If you’d like to have a private session with me to talk about your situation, contact me at megan@wallscareeercoach.com.