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Making Work-Life Balance A Reality, Not Fantasy

Forbes Coaches Council
POST WRITTEN BY
LaKiesha Tomlin

Work-life balance is at the top of everyone's mind, but how many of us are actually finding ways to bring order to our chaotic lives?

People often feel overworked and stressed, working more than 60 hours a week, and forced to go to time-consuming meetings. On top of that, it’s mandatory for leaders to do more with fewer resources in the name of efficiency.

Is this what it takes to get to the top?

These are just some of the issues that people in corporate America face for 40-plus years until retirement. It's time to find ways to live a fulfilling life and break away from spending most of our waking hours in the office. I'll show you how.

Live life without regrets.

A few years ago, I asked a senior manager at Boeing, "How do you balance life and work?"

He said, "There's no 50-50 balance. Sometimes work takes priority and sometimes my family takes priority. I know I could be in a higher position but I'd rather spend more time with my kids, especially since they're young." I really liked his answer. I loved the fact that he made a choice to spend time with his family and not just wish for more time.

This conversation changed my perspective on work-life balance. I prioritize based on what will give me the best return on my time investment. For example, I'd rather take an extra vacation day while traveling to a new city. This gives me a chance to mentally unplug from work, relax and be mentally stimulated by new surroundings. After my trip, I come back to work energized and ready to take on the day.

How about you? Thinking about coming into the office on a Saturday versus going to your kid's soccer game? Which one has the least regret? Chances are you'd much rather attend the soccer game, so leave your work phone in the car and go. Work will always be there. Moments to witness your child's epic shot that went through the goalie’s hands, into the back of the net, winning the state championship, won't.

Limit time-wasting activities.

What are time-wasting activities? Maybe it's chatting with people who stop by your desk to talk about their crazy weekend or attending meetings that don't solve a problem.

Picture this: You receive a meeting invitation from a senior manager. Looking at the title and scrolling through the list of 150 names, it appears to have nothing to do with your department.

You think to yourself, "Do I really need to be at this meeting?" You have an "I-need-to-get-this-done-today-or-the-world-will-end" list with two items remaining.

What should you do?

Here are two ways to handle this situation:

  • Delegate. Contact the meeting organizer. Let them know that you won't be able to attend and that a direct report or co-worker will get you up to speed. By utilizing this method, you'll get an hour's worth of conversation paired down to 5-10 minutes.
  • Delete. If you're not on the "required" line of the invitation, just ignore it or delete it. Yes, ignore it.

Utilizing one of these methods gives you 45 minutes or more of your day back.

Make small changes for large impact.

Have you ever said to yourself, "I'll just stay another 10 more minutes," and before you know it, a full hour has passed by? Where did the time go?

If you're staying at the office late into the night, challenge yourself. Leave the office at a set time. Start small by trying it out one day per week.

Having trouble leaving the office? Try scheduling an appointment for a professional service, make a dinner appointment with friends or catch a movie 30-45 minutes after your self-imposed quitting time. This will motivate you to get out of the office and avoid wasting time.

Once you make this change, it can gradually grow to two days per week or more if you wish.

In today's hyper-connected world, it's difficult to unplug from our phones and laptops to maintain a healthy work-life balance. If you're ready for a life outside of the office and want to enjoy your life before retirement, implement these small changes. You'll thank yourself for years to come.