Welcome to 2023! Let’s start off by looking at your life balance & how to maintain it?
I believe that examining separately the two priorities—work and life—makes it easier to sensibly merge them and arrive at the balance we’re all hoping to achieve. That’s the approach I’m recommending here.
Let’s start with your work environment. What are the features, the atmosphere, the physical layout, and the chain of command (if any)? And how do they affect you?
- Are there good communications among you and your co-workers, or does that need improving? It is vital for the “team” to be on the same page in order to understand who is contributing—and how—to a given project.
- Understand everyone’s roles and particularly the person’s to whom you report. Badly defined roles in your work space can cause stress, confusion, and lack of productivity.
- Lack of trust among fellow workers creates an awkward, sometimes hostile, atmosphere. Fear of speaking up or asking questions is an unfortunate and unproductive consequence of this negative atmosphere.
- Unknown or ill-defined boundaries in your work areas can make for unpleasant and unwelcome intrusions into your own physical space. Be sure that you yourself are well understood in this regard. It’s only healthy to make yourself perfectly clear from the start.
Now let’s move on to your life away from work. I have suggestions for accomplishing (creating)? a sense of separation from your challenges at work. This involves making your physical and emotional self a priority.
- This exercise might seem tedious, but I hope you try it. Take one week (162 hours), and record daily exactly how many hours you spend getting ready for work/ going to work/doing your job. This record alone might be eye-opening and provide a lot of information about where your time goes. It will increase your awareness and help clarify your “life” priorities.
- At work, tell your co-workers that you stay off social media at work to limit distractions. My other rule of thumb: I don’t check work e-mails on the weekend. This “rule” allows for some separation, some breathing room. (I do get back to work-related texts or e-mails within 48 hours!).
- Follow a consistent morning routine. Have a nourishing breakfast; take a few quiet moments for yourself; keep up with your meditation practice, if you have one; and by all means attend to your personal grooming.
- Practice ways of saying “No” when feeling pressed. Try something like, “That won’t work for me right now.” Or, “Let’s revisit this by next Thursday.”
- Build in breaks at home and at work. Stand up every hour and stretch for a minute or two.
- Communicate clearly, as in “What I need for this to work is …” In other words, assert yourself!
- Set your phone and other devices to “silent.” Commit to checking them a couple/few times a day at a specific time each day.
Denise’s
2 Cents:
Most of us spend considerable time at our workplace. If you don’t enjoy your work or respect your fellow workers, your chances for stable personal health are slim. Of course, conditions at work don’t have to be toxic. Yours might be the voice to improve the atmosphere and make it more harmonious. And away from work, be good to yourself and find that crucial work/life balance.