7 Techniques for Work/Life Balance
by Thomas J. Denham Wednesday, December 07, 2011
Dr. Thomas J. Denham, MCDP is the Career Counselor & Motivational Speaker of Careers In Transition LLC. Since 1990, he has helped people explore their options with career testing, make job changes, write resumes and cover letters and prepare for interviews. Tom has held leadership positions in career services at Siena and Union Colleges, Harvard, St. Lawrence and Boston Universities. He has been a contributing writer for three books, has published dozens of articles, and speaks extensively on career management issues. Tom earned his bachelors from St. Lawrence University, his masters from Boston University and his doctorate from Nova Southeastern University. He is Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Qualified and has earned the Master Career Development Professional (MCDP) credential.
Full Bio
Maintaining work/life balance is the hardest thing to accomplish in adulthood. Many people today are too busy making a living that they don’t have time to make a life. Don’t expect to continue down the same path and get any significant changes in your life. Where you go with your work/life balance should be by choice not chance. Don’t focus on what you can’t do; focus on what you can do!
1. Ask Questions and Reprioritize
• What are the things that cause me the most stress?
• What memories am I creating? What memories do I want to create in the future?
• What really are my top ten priorities for this year?
• What non-priorities will I say “NO!” to this year?
• What centers me?
• Pursue your passion persistently!!!
2. Manage Time
• Compass & Clock – they point you in the right direction and tell you how much time you have left.
• Am I spending time doing the things most important to me?
• When am I the most focused or productive?
• How much of my day is reactive?
• When does the office close?
• Stay in a morning and bedtime routine.
• Schedule “Unscheduled Time” - make an appointment for alone time to reflect, (i.e., “No commitments Saturday from 1-5pm.”).
• Set a pace that works for you.
3. Organize
• What am I really accomplishing?
• What tasks in my life could I eliminate?
• What tasks could be performed less frequently?
• What tasks could I afford to pay others to perform?
• What specific investments will I make in my core priorities this year?
4. Make Decisions
• What 3 things do I need closure on?
• What 3 things will be new initiatives for me?
• What’s the cost of this choice I need to make?
• Will this decision add value to my life or create more stress?
• What sacrifices will I make to achieve my work/life goals?
• Is what I’m doing today, worth talking about tomorrow?
• When someone makes a request, don’t make an impulsive decision, instead stall: “Let me think about it and get back to you.”
5. Let Go
• Let go of any toxic relationships or situations that drains your energy or exhausts you.
• Consult with a therapist to work through any personal issues.
• People are like elevators: Is this person going to bring me to the next level or are they bringing me down?
• Let go of things holding you back (i.e., clutter, paper, negativity, clothing, luxury items, toys, etc.).
• Prune any activities that are not productive: “What can I let go of this year?
6. Implement Action Items
• Control the impulse to act immediately. Reflect first, and then act.
• Identify and eliminate 3 things holding you back.
• Implement one micro-goal each day.
7. Possess a Positive Attitude
• Erase the tape of any negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones.
• Visualize how TODAY will be a “Totally Awesome Day”
• Move from a “Scarcity Mentality” to an “Abundance Mentality.”
• Live simply, expect less and give more.
Tom’s Tip:v “The quality of your life is proportional to the quality of the questions you ask and answer.” – Tony Robbins
1. Ask Questions and Reprioritize
• What are the things that cause me the most stress?
• What memories am I creating? What memories do I want to create in the future?
• What really are my top ten priorities for this year?
• What non-priorities will I say “NO!” to this year?
• What centers me?
• Pursue your passion persistently!!!
2. Manage Time
• Compass & Clock – they point you in the right direction and tell you how much time you have left.
• Am I spending time doing the things most important to me?
• When am I the most focused or productive?
• How much of my day is reactive?
• When does the office close?
• Stay in a morning and bedtime routine.
• Schedule “Unscheduled Time” - make an appointment for alone time to reflect, (i.e., “No commitments Saturday from 1-5pm.”).
• Set a pace that works for you.
3. Organize
• What am I really accomplishing?
• What tasks in my life could I eliminate?
• What tasks could be performed less frequently?
• What tasks could I afford to pay others to perform?
• What specific investments will I make in my core priorities this year?
4. Make Decisions
• What 3 things do I need closure on?
• What 3 things will be new initiatives for me?
• What’s the cost of this choice I need to make?
• Will this decision add value to my life or create more stress?
• What sacrifices will I make to achieve my work/life goals?
• Is what I’m doing today, worth talking about tomorrow?
• When someone makes a request, don’t make an impulsive decision, instead stall: “Let me think about it and get back to you.”
5. Let Go
• Let go of any toxic relationships or situations that drains your energy or exhausts you.
• Consult with a therapist to work through any personal issues.
• People are like elevators: Is this person going to bring me to the next level or are they bringing me down?
• Let go of things holding you back (i.e., clutter, paper, negativity, clothing, luxury items, toys, etc.).
• Prune any activities that are not productive: “What can I let go of this year?
6. Implement Action Items
• Control the impulse to act immediately. Reflect first, and then act.
• Identify and eliminate 3 things holding you back.
• Implement one micro-goal each day.
7. Possess a Positive Attitude
• Erase the tape of any negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones.
• Visualize how TODAY will be a “Totally Awesome Day”
• Move from a “Scarcity Mentality” to an “Abundance Mentality.”
• Live simply, expect less and give more.
Tom’s Tip:v “The quality of your life is proportional to the quality of the questions you ask and answer.” – Tony Robbins