Do you feel accomplished at the end of each day? What would you say your overall quality of life is at the moment? So many of us struggle to find the proper balance between our careers and home life; we may find ourselves fulfilled in one area and challenged in another. In fact, this is something all successful leaders face and must learn to manage. The ability to maintain balance will directly determine the quality of your work and life in general. Happy people work 25% more efficiently. Learning and applying a few key concepts will guarantee increased productivity where you can truly enjoy your time “off the clock”.
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” Albert Einstein
Time Management is how we make sure we are moving forward. There are only so many hours in a day and successful leaders know how to prioritize and delegate tasks to get the most out of each one. Keep track of the time you are allowing for each task and see what can be done differently. What are the things that require more attention? Is there anything you would like to spend more time on? Determine what is important and reflect on the amount of time you are spending. When we are conscious of how we spend our time, we can create an optimal schedule to accomplish our set goals.
Having standards and not allowing ourselves and others to compromise them is another critical concept. As a leader it’s important to have a high level understanding of who you are and what you will accept. If we are not as committed to our personal life as we are to our work life, then we are only compromising ourselves.
Do you enjoy the time you spend away from work? It is easy to bring work home with us and we are all guilty of it at one point or another. Here are a few tips for setting boundaries that efficient leaders practice:
Leave work at work. Successful leaders know when to work and when to play.
Communicate your standards to coworkers and family. Be upfront and let the people around you know what your limits are.
Make time just for yourself. Solitude allows us the space we need for reflection.
Honor your commitment and dedication to yourself. Take your free time just as seriously as your work.
Mindfulness is another crucial concept that leaders utilize to keep a balance between their careers and home life. Recognition of patterns is the first step in changing behaviors that may be hindering our balance. Mindfulness tools allow us to rewire the brain and increase our quality of life by living in the present moment. Have you ever wanted to break the negative cycles that reoccur in your life? Using mindfulness techniques is the absolute best way to accomplish that.
Remember to Enjoy yourself! Leaders know how important their downtime is. To truly feel accomplished we must have a healthy balance of work and play. All successful leaders know how to reap the rewards of their hard efforts, otherwise, what is the point of working hard? Downtime filled with self-love and the things you enjoy is a necessity for healthy living and feeling accomplished. Our quality of life depends on our ability to maintain balance successfully, and these simple concepts can improve your balance tremendously.
Want to take control of your life? All you need is a little accountability. Book a free coaching consultation today!