The phrase “work/life balance” seems to be one of those modern catch phrases that illustrates what everyone is striving for, but when was the last time you met someone who said their life was in balance? Typically, when life stressors happen, they happen all at once. The car starts acting up, a family member gets sick, and a big project is due at work all at the same time—sound familiar?
I think we need to change the phrase “work/life balance” to “work/life flow.” Instead of imagining that all aspects of our lives are in “balance” we can instead strive for “flow.” This means at times there will be certain aspects of our lives that need more time and attention than other parts. For example, there are times at work when it gets super busy and I neglect some household chores that aren’t urgent. Then when work slows down again I take some extra time to get caught up on the home front.
So how can you make sure there is a “flow” instead of only focusing on one area of your life all the time? For example, it would be easy to justify putting extra hours in at work because it’s “busy,” but you can easily get caught up in that mindset all of the time and never return your attention to matters in your personal life. Here are some tips you can use at work and/or in your personal life that can help:
1. Set limits and boundaries: determine what your priorities/values are on your time and don’t be afraid to say “no” accordingly. For example, it is important for me to be home as much as possible in the evening to put my young children to bed, which means I have to be selective about what I commit to doing outside of the house in the evening time.
2. Set time aside to take care of yourself: Find activities you can do on a regular basis that make you feel like you have truly “recharged your batteries.” You will have more energy to tackle the daily tasks of work and your personal life if you take care of yourself first.
3. Don’t be afraid to ask for help: No one can “do it all” so don’t get discouraged if you have to ask a family member of friend for help. For example, maybe asking your spouse to run an errand for you would allow you to schedule much needed self-care time.
