Step 1 - Work/Life Balance
Here are some areas of focus that may help you to create more of an emotional, physical and spiritual work-life balance:
Set boundaries around your work.
It's critical to set boundaries around your work schedule. This may look like not checking work emails or taking work calls outside of your established work hours. It also may mean not working on personal projects during work hours. It's important to remember who controls your calendar, and making your calendar work for you so that your focus and attention can be where you want and need it to be without feeling guilt or shame while you are fully present when working and allowing yourself to be fully present with your family and friends when you're not.
Take breaks.
It's important to take breaks throughout the day, both at work and at home. This will help you to stay focused and avoid burnout. Taking a 10-minute break for every 30-40 minutes worked will help your brain and your body to "reset" giving you better focus, creativity, problem solving power and more energy when you come back to your task list, project, etc.
Delegate.
If you have too much on your plate, don't be afraid to delegate tasks to others or ask for help. This will help you to free up some of your time so that you can focus on the things that are most important to you or are the real priorities in your schedule.
Say no.
It's important to learn to say no to new commitments. If you're already feeling overwhelmed, adding more to your plate will only make things worse. We tend to say "yes" to avoid conflict, or more likely, to not disappoint others. When we gain clarity on our goals, priorities and what is most important, it becomes easier to say "no" to things that are not in alignment with those. Remember, you do not have to apologize or explain your no's.
Take care of yourself.
Make sure to take care of yourself; physically, mentally and spiritually. This means eating healthy, getting enough sleep, exercising regularly and spending time in meditation or prayer. It also means taking time for yourself to relax and de-stress. Get into nature and walk barefoot! When we are getting proper sleep, taking time to meditate or pray, getting into nature regularly (that could mean your backyard!), hydrating and eating a healthy plant heavy diet, it helps our brains to run with more clarity as well as our body functioning with more energy!
Spend time with loved ones.
Make sure to spend time with your loved ones, both at home and outside of work. This will help you to stay connected with the people who are most important to you.
Practice Gratitude daily
When you choose to be grateful for the things that you already have, and the things coming to you, it releases chemicals in your brain (the feel good hormones) that help us to feel emotionally well, happy, hopeful and more at peace. I encourage starting a Gratitude Journal and writing at least 10 things per day that you are grateful for. Some people write it first thing in the morning, some last thing before they go to sleep. Some days it may not feel like you have 10 things to be grateful for, however, every breath, the ability to write (or type) and things you have written down before will help you to fill out your daily gratitude list.
It's important to find what works best for you and your lifestyle. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to work-life balance. However, by following these tips, you can create a healthier life that is more fulfilling, sustainable and balanced for you.
Stay tuned for my next article on Balancing Feminine and Masculine Energy to take our lives to the next level of abundance in mind, body, spirit and wealth!