The last article you’ll ever need to read on work-life balance
A pretty bold promise I know, but as a self-proclaimed personal development junkie, I’ve read any article or book I could get my hands on to answer the question of how to create work-life balance and SPOILER ALERT! it’s way more simple than you think.
The answer is You
To be more specific it’s the thoughts you think about balance. What you think it looks like, how you think it feels, and what tasks you do or don't do in a day. Boiled down, that’s really what all these high-performace authors are talking about when they say “you create your results”. Life is beautifully subjective which is why the answer couldn’t be anything other than yourself!
Before we get to the HOW, I wanted to share a little bit about my WHY. In my 20’s my life was completely out of balance. I worked 24-7, never had any fun, saw a decline in my wellness, and was incredibly stressed out and unhappy. And, sadder than that bleak picture of life was that I thought it was supposed to be that way. All the stories I’d ever heard about adult life validated everything I had created in my own life. Until one day I woke up and decided I wanted, no, needed a change. I wasn’t going to live out the status quo and I would embark on my own path to find balance and happiness. Through many failed experiments, research on time management, investment in a life coach, and finding inspiration in the stories of others on the same path I finally found a system that works!
The following practice is what I found to be most helpful in creating true balance in my life and these tactics can work for anyone to help them craft their version of a balanced life. So put down the books, pause the podcast, and go do the work!
1.Write out a mock schedule of what a balanced day could look like. What kind of work meetings would you participate in and how many would you have per day. When would you get your workout in or schedule your errands? Would you take a mid-day break to play with your kids or take your dog to the park? The purpose of this exercise is not to create a foolproof schedule but to help you understand WHAT balance looks like for you.
2. Imagine how balanced feels like with a busy schedule. This requires reflection inward. This could look like starting with the belief that you can be relaxed even when you have a lot planned, or that no matter what happens you are capable of solving whatever comes up. I’ll admit this was not an easy one for me. But even more challenging was creating the thoughts and belief that I was those things so that I could harness those beliefs during times of stress. This is why I call it a practice, finding balance requires constant work.
3. Expect the unexpected. Being mentally prepared for the days when you wake up sick, the internet goes out, or any other life circumstance that could possibly derail your day, is key to maintaining work/life balance. Because balance is not a destination and it’s inevitable that your priorities will need to shift.
4. Test out a version of your ideal schedule. And then test some more. I can tell you right now that this will take many iterations and practice in steps 1–3 until you have your AH-HA moment. But like anything in life that is worth having you have to put in the work.
You. It’s that simple. Go dream, honor what you’ve prioritized and scheduled, and start balancing.
