Improving the Work/Life Balance in Your Life.

So how did you score on the test from last Thursday?  Do you have a perfect work/life balance?  Are there times your personal life seems to be crowded out by the demands of your profession?  Do you answer, "What personal life?”  The suggestions include here may not work for everyone but they have consistently worked for me. Sharing experiences, it is said, is how we learn and maybe change the way we approach a hurdle in life.  So here are a few techniques.

1.  Set aside some quiet time.  We compartmentalize our lives in large part based on the appointments on our calendars.  But do to have some time written down so the only word there is "me?"  This simple step in and of itself will force you to put down the phone, ignore texts and emails, and other interruptions from the office and elsewhere. It allows you to recharge your personal batteries, relax, and take stock of the day.  I find it easiest to do this simply by staring out the window.  Some may scoff at this step but I have found it to be some of the most inspirational time I spend each day.

2. At the end of your work day, force yourself to do something non work related.  I go home and cook and have found in very therapeutic. My mind is off the office ( it has to be otherwise I might burn dinner) for the better part of an hour. It's also normally followed by a walk with the dogs sans smartphone.

3.  An off the wall idea helps greatly.  I was at a four day conference this past weekend along the central coast of California and it was a grueling four days of presentations, speeches and having to be "on" all the time.  I insisted to those who were taking me to the airport that we leave early enough for a quick dip in the Pacific.  It allowed me some space to think when the only sounds around me were children having a great time at the beach and the waves crashing ashore. The Pacific ocean may not be an option for you but my guess is something is nearby that would fit the bill.

4.  Volunteer for something on a regular basis.  Mine is divided between activities involving g my faith, working with portion of the next generation that is struggling, and Optimist International.  If I am focused on those things, the office becomes secondary. And we all should know that volunteer work is healthy for mind body and soul.

5.  Use all of your vacation time every year.  Nothing is so important at the office to warrant not taking time off. 

I do check the work email several hours after leaving g the office just to make certain there are no surprises the following morning. But the above suggestions are designed as a way to help disconnect in a healthy way from the profession we have been called to.

Until Thursday, be well.