In today’s fast-paced marketplace, it can be tough to find our equilibrium and achieve a balanced life. Cell phones, PDAs, text messaging and e-mail keep us connected 24/7, and it is easy to feel pressure to pay constant attention to work.
The prevailing wisdom says that such an “always on” lifestyle is good for business. But in fact, there is compelling evidence from the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL), a global nonprofit organization focused on leadership education and research, that debunks that point of view.
In studies involving thousands of leaders from public and private organizations around the globe, CCL researchers found that leaders who achieve balance between their work and personal lives are rated significantly more effective by their bosses and others in the workplace.
Employees who are encouraged to balance their work and personal lives have also been shown to be good for business. Work-life programs can help companies attract and retain skilled workers; decrease both burnout and absenteeism; and improve productivity, job satisfaction and morale.
But despite these compelling benefits, most companies do a better job of talking about balance than actually promoting it. If your firm wants to buck the trend and benefit from a balanced workforce, the first step is to convert your supervisors.
Not only do supervisors directly affect how employees interpret what is expected of them, but they also decide how your company policies will be implemented. Consciously or unconsciously, they can create an environment where employees are afraid of being labeled as slackers if they make time for their personal lives.
Given this dynamic between employees and their bosses, it’s imperative that balance become a priority that is lived and communicated from the top down. Make certain your executives and direct supervisors know that their own behavior says more to an employee than anything in a company manual about the importance of having a life outside the office.
Above all, try to create an environment that allows for frank and open dialogue among employees and supervisors concerning balance and effective work-life strategies. Doing so can help you cultivate and retain a team of satisfied employees committed to your company’s success.
If you want to balance your own life for success at home and at work, here are three important tips:
1. Rethink what balance means.
An important first step is to give up the notion that balance is some magical state that occurs when you distribute just the right amount of time and effort among your various commitments. Instead, think of it as an alignment between your behavior and your values.
That makes choice the issue, not time. So, begin by clarifying what matters most to you. Then consider your current situation and ask yourself whether you’re spending your time in a way that is consistent with your values and priorities in life. If not, define what you want to do differently and create a plan for getting there.
2. Examine where your time goes.
Though time isn’t the main culprit when it comes to being out of balance, it is vital that you use the time you have wisely. Start by understanding where your time goes so you can invest more of it in the areas that are important to you.
Keep a log for the next week or two and jot down what you do, hour by hour. Also, add some brief notes on why you choose to spend your time the way you do. At the end of the tracking period, look back at your notes and consider the following:
- Do your actions reflect or contradict your values and goals?
- What percentage of your time did you spend in work-related activities versus family activities?
- How much time did you take for yourself?
- How much choice did you have in how you spent your time, and how much was beyond your control?
As a final step, put a check mark next to those activities that were truly non-negotiable and then consider the rest. What do your activities say about you? Do you make choices that please others to the exclusion of pleasing yourself? What could you change? What steps can you take now and over time to bring your activities into alignment with your goals?
3. Recharge.
Though we may like to believe otherwise, we all have our limits. That makes it critical that we build in time to relax and recharge. From time to time, let go of what you think you ought to be doing, and instead do something that inspires and rejuvenates you.
Follow these tips for not only achieving but also maintaining balance at home and at the office.
