Balancing Act

How often have you been sitting in a meeting when suddenly you wonder if you’re spending enough time with your kids or your spouse? Have you ever put off something in your personal life in order to accomplish “one last thing” at work? Do you think you balance things you enjoy and performing your job?

The answers to these questions will help you understand your personal work-life balance. Work-life balance is your ability to appropriately prioritize your personal and job duties and goals. If you spend too much time doing one or the other, you might not be balancing.

Ways to Balance Your Act

This week, we’ll look at ways to make sure you’re walking that tightrope of work and life. Our first three will help you take care of yourself so you can do the things you need to do at work and at home. Think of yourself as a pitcher: every time you perform a work task or do something for your family, you pour a little out. That’s good, but you need to refill sometimes. Think of these three things as ways to refill your pitcher so you can give more.

Eat

Eating healthfully and regularly will keep your energy levels up and keep your hormone levels consistent. Remember this is about balance so don’t eat mindlessly – set aside time to eat when you can focus on the food. If you find yourself eating “al desko” (at your desk) every day, make a point to move to the break room or outside.

Sleep

Getting enough sleep is critical. Lack of sleep has been linked to weight gain, hormone fluctuations, and depression.  It will keep you from having that “someone needs a nap” feeling, too.

Move

You’ve heard this before, but exercise is important in keeping your body healthy, your mind sharp, and your stress levels low. Make the moves do double duty by including your family on a hike outside!

Next time, we’ll be talking about vacations and time off.