Ask yourself hard questions. Introspection takes guts. You need to determine how serious your problem is. Should you just wean yourself off evening e-mail, or should you consider a career change? Where are you going in life? What are your priorities? “Lots of creative thinking shows up when the priorities are clear” (Wooldridge, 2010). Employers can’t be assumed to know what you want before you do. Neither can families. Join us on February 16 as we discuss how to plan your career: Developing Your Own Career Strategy
Build downtime into your schedule. When you plan your week, make it a point to schedule time with your family and friends and activities that help you recharge.
Maintain boundaries between work and home. Some obvious tactics come to mind: Turn off the cell phone during dinner. Don’t plan the T-ball lineup at budget meetings.
Stick to a schedule. A set routine helps keep your boundaries–and your mind–clear.
Drop activities that sap your time or energy. Many people waste their time on activities or people that add no value — for example, spending too much time at work with a colleague who is constantly venting and gossiping. Take stock of activities that aren’t really enhancing your career or personal life and minimizing the time you spend on them.
Delegate. You don’t need to do it all – You Really Don’t!
Set an example for your employees and your family.
Rethink your errands – Consider whether you can outsource any of your time-consuming household chores or errands.
Get moving – It’s hard to make time for exercise when you have a jam-packed schedule, but experts say that it may ultimately help you get more done by boosting your energy level and ability to concentrate.
Remember that a little relaxation goes a long way – Don’t get overwhelmed by assuming that you need to make big changes to bring more balance to your life. Set one goal for this week, for example, leaving the office on-time at least three days a week.
Spend a few minutes each day nourishing your “roots:” exercise, serenity, love and mindful eating.
Pausing to take a few deep breaths several times a day yields significant mental, physical and spiritual benefits – take a daily mini-vacation (Read January’s issue of TNFoL)!
Other Quick Tips
Get 12 to 47 hugs EVERY DAY!
