Did you know that leadership development can help you reach this goal?
You’ve been going since 5 a.m., first getting the kids ready and dropping them at school, then rushing to the office to begin your day of back-to-back meetings that end at 2 p.m. You then rush back to your office to answer emails and calls you missed throughout the day. Then, you’re out the door at 3 p.m. to pick up your daughter for her orthodontist appointment, only to be delayed by half an hour. By now, you’re late to your son’s baseball game and miss his first home run of the season. It’s then you remember you forgot to submit an important proposal that was due today. Back to the office you go. You feel guilty about bailing on your kids and family. You are frazzled and exhausted. Something’s got to give.
Does this sound familiar?
What does the phrase “live your life with joy” mean to you? To most, it does not mean spending more time at work and less with family, but the truth of the matter is, work is necessary. And, when it is done well, it provides a sense of fulfillment for you. But there has to be balance between a job well done and a life well done. There is a lot to fit in when you consider family events, kid’s programs and sports, and friends. When you try to pack too much into your daily life all of it becomes jumbled and stressful and it can rob you of the joy you so desperately seek.
So, how do you take leadership over your life and incorporate a true sense of work-life balance into your daily routines? It sounds simple but it can be elusive. This is where a professional coach, or a leadership development program can help you:
- Determine things you can let go of
- Identify or reorganize your priorities
- Find the balance and joy you desire
Following are some tips to help you reset and regain control over your schedule and your life.
- Recognize that both “work” and “life” are important to you. You don’t have to choose, you do have to let go of societal expectations, define what is most important to you, let go of self-induced guilt, and identify and focus on where your energy needs to be spent now.
- Learn when to say no. Say yes to what fuels you and no to what drains you. You can use your values to help you follow your energy in a way that supports your ability to fill your bucket without making it overflow.
- Understand and accept the seasons of balance. There might be months or years where you choose to focus on family – your children, caring for an ill family member, taking over the bread-winner role so your spouse can take a break. Conversely, you may dedicate time periods to building your career, so for that period work becomes the focus. These seasons ebb and flow with the changing circumstances in your life.
- Leverage your time and energy. First, make sure you are spending your time on projects that truly have an impact. Next, identify areas where you can take a single effort and apply it to more than one purpose. For instance, taking a walk and making follow-up phone calls at the same time. Or, using the content from a blog post to develop a colorful graphic to illustrate the same concepts.
- Develop a new pattern of juggling our tasks. When you add new tasks to your already full list, you must learn a new pattern to balance them, determine a new method for getting things done, or identify what must go to keep things in balance.
If you’re still unsure where to start, or you just need an impartial sounding board to help you navigate through everything to find your answers, a professional coach can help. Contact us at admin@InnovativeConnectionsInc.com or call us at 970-279-3330 if you’d like our help with advice that will help you move forward and find your joy.
