Work/Life Balance: Making Every Day Sacred

Many of us are guilty of working too much, and not giving our family the attention they need. But it doesn't have to be this way! In fact, by implementing a few simple strategies, work/life balance can be as easy as pie. Here's how!

-Become a morning person. If you're anything like me, you find it very difficult to get out of bed and start your day at an early hour. But if you want to spend more time with your family, you need to become a morning person. Why? Because most opportunities arise in the morning! This is the time when friends call, emails are sent and answered, and potential business deals are made. You can achieve much more before 9am than after it.

-Prioritize. You can't do everything, so learn what's important to you. There's a difference between being "busy" and being "productive". Make sure that your daily goals truly support your values and what's important in your life.

-Simplify. Eliminate unnecessary stress from your life by eliminating clutter. This can be done by decluttering your home, eliminating debt, and downgrading to the essentials. Create a space for yourself and your family that works for you, instead of forcing you to live someone else's idea of a good life.

-Take breaks! Of course we all want to put in our best effort at work, but don't forget that rest is important too! If you work too much, it'll wear you out and make it harder for you to accomplish anything meaningful. When was the last time you took a day off?

-Be mindful. Try to live in the moment and focus on what's currently happening. Try to eliminate distractions by turning off your computer and smartphone every once in a while. The world will still be there tomorrow, and you can catch up when you're done with what you're doing right now.

-Be prepared. Before leaving work, make sure you have everything you need for the next day at home or at the office. You'll save time by not having to go back, and it'll allow you to spend more time with your family if they don't have other plans on your nights off!

-Seek help. If you feel like you've tried everything and are still struggling to balance work/life, you may need to seek professional help. A counselor can help you resolve your problems and give you the peace of mind that you need in order to be present in your life.

-Be a role model. If your children see that you're not happy, they won't be either. Make sure that they know how important family is to you by showing them through action by spending more time with them and being mindful of the time that you have together.

-Be present. The most important things are the ones you don't miss. Take time to be present with your family, and make sure that you're not getting distracted by your email or phone. Focus on them, and let them be your number one priority too!

-Create balance. This can be done by creating a work routine where you check regularly in on your phone, monitor for emails, finish up tasks at work and then take care of any errands that needs to be done before going home. When it's time to go home, spend quality time with your family and make memories that will last a lifetime!

-Celebrate every day! Make sure that every day is celebrated properly. On what you like to do, or when something great happens. Your family will enjoy it more and in turn, appreciate your ability to make their lives so wonderful.

-Be grateful for what you have. When you're about to go on another long drive home from work, give thanks for those who came before you and made it possible for all of the luxuries that we now have available to us. It may seem small, but you can't take it for granted!

-Be respectful. If someone has a different opinion than you, don't make be a jerk about it. Make sure that you communicate respectfully and listen to what they have to say. When in doubt, ask them (in person of course lol), and thank them for sharing their ideas with you. When someone's opinion differs from yours and they're respectful about it, see how much more receptive your family will be to yours.

-Be patient. We all make mistakes, it's only natural! But if someone is not doing something they're supposed to do, be patient with them and explain your expectations. Don't get mad or yell at them though! Giving someone you love a hard time will definitely not help them perform better in the future.

-Be clear. It's important that the expectations you have for yourself and others should be made clear to everyone! Without communication, problems will arise and it'll create a toxic environment that nobody wants to be involved with! Be sure to keep things clear, and when people don't do what they're supposed to do, try not to overreact about it. They're probably just confused about something.

-Remain humble. No matter how much you accomplish in life, it's pointless if you're not humble and thankful for what you have. If you're always complaining about how things were in the past and wishing they were different, then you've already lost. Be thankful for the present, and try to make it a better place than what it was before!

-Be empathetic. Take care of the people around you when they're sick or need help! Reach out to them when they don't have anyone else to speak with and respect their time when they're busy with their own problems/issues.

-Don't punish yourself. It's easy to feel stressed about work, but don't forget that you're the one who has control over your life! Think about how you can make time for your family without punishing yourself financially.

-Be patient with your kids. Share their successes and failures with them so they know how they're perceived by others, but don't let them get in the way of your own happiness!

-Consider yourself fortunate. Everyone has something different in their life that makes them happy or gives them a good feeling (health, loved one, good job).

Conclusion

Try to do the things that bring you joy! If you're uncertain about what brings you joy, then don't do anything for a while. If something doesn't make you happy anymore, leave it alone. Try to identify your own priorities, and follow them but don't get lost in the details. Everything will work out as long as you stick to your values! As long as people like me are around, everything will be fine!

With all of these tips, I hope that you'll be happier at work and have more peace at home! Before making any major changes though, start small. Make a small change just so that you can see how it feels to have time for yourself again.