Are you feeling overworked and under satisfied? Join the multitude of adults who are seeking a better work / life balance. Years ago, balance in the workplace was a “mommy / children” issue and not even a concern for men. Today, according to a new study by Statistics Canada released in the Toronto Star (February 2007), it’s the top priority for women and third on the list for men. The study showed that workers are spending more time at work and less time with their families. But it’s not just a parenting issue either; people want to make space for other things in their lives.

Let’s put this into perspective. How many people on their deathbed are going to wish they had spent more time at the office? Have you ever seen a hearse pulling a U-haul? When we stop and think about what is truly important to us, putting in extra time at the office doesn’t rate high for most people, and having more money to buy more stuff doesn’t necessarily give people the satisfaction that they seek.

So why are more and more people spending longer hours at the office, taking work home with them, and putting their careers ahead of their personal time? Is it because we have moved into the double income lifestyle, where materialistic desires are driving both parents in a family to work? Is it because we are defining ‘who we are’ by ‘what we do’? Is it the era that we are in, where the internet delivers information almost at the speed of light? Perhaps it’s because we are choosing to let too many ‘good’ things get in the way of the ‘best’ things – the things that we consider most important to us.

People experience pain and dissatisfaction when they realize that the way they spend their time is not at all in sync with the things that they determine are the most important to them.

Balancing your life does not necessarily mean running fast enough to cover all of the bases in your life. However, it does mean discovering a good feeling about the roles in your life that you determine are important to you, where the accomplishments and energy invested in these roles are giving us self-gratification.

Here are some tips to striking a better balance:

1. Put ‘First Things’ first. Put pen to paper and list 4-6 things that are most important in your life. These are things so vital to you that without them you would be devastated. For example, your health, your children, your passion or purpose in life, or your spirituality. Being aware of what these things are can help you put them first in your life.

2. Realize that how you spend your time is a choice. We all have the same amount of time – 24/7 – but how we spend it is totally our choice. If you say yes to overtime, say yes to taking work home with you, and say yes to putting work before the things that are most important to you, then this is your choice. However, being aware that these are your decisions to make can help you to make a shift and close the gap between what you deem is important to you and how you spend your time.

3. Review your schedule on a weekly basis. When we use the ‘week-at-a-glance’ approach to scheduling we can fit in the things that really matter most to us. If we are looking at our schedule for only one day at a time, we tend to only see the more urgent issues, allowing them to consume our time and never really opening up opportunities to invest in what we deem as truly important, but not urgent, activities.

   The key here is not necessarily to prioritize your schedule, but rather to schedule your priorities. There is a big difference. Some items that are not in line with your roles and goals will no longer land on your weekly schedule – this is how to make a shift. Change how you see value in what you do with your time; decide what is not important to you; and no longer waste time doing these things. Instead, set goals and make time for the things that matter most.

4. Attend or host a seminar on the subject. Many organizations are looking at work / life balance educational investment in their people, because good people are worth keeping, and happy employees who feel good about themselves produce great results.

If we place our intention on keeping the main things the main things, all of the little details will settle into place. Discover and record what is most important to you, decide to put these ‘First Things’ in your life on a regular basis, and communicate with those around you (employer, employees, those you love, etc.) to help them understand your desires.

You deserve the very best and nothing less!

Penny

* This article is dedicated to my dear girl friend, who just celebrated her 40th birthday. May the force of good balance be with you.