Balancing things
Well it's hotting up towards Christmas, isn't it? Not weather-wise, of course. In fact quite the opposite...it's now so wintry in our neck of the woods that walking down our road first thing yesterday morning was akin to walking on a skating rink!
No, I meant the extra busy-ness of our lives as the calendar creeps - or gallops - towards 25 December.
If your diary is anything like mine, it will be liberally scattered with various Christmas events and happenings. This year somehow seems busier than ever, with our two children now attending different schools each with their own set of Christmas festivities.
Meanwhile, my husband is digging himself deeper into his new job, working ever longer hours.
I bet there are some of you doing the same - working apparently harder and harder and still trying to juggle all the other demands on your time?
There's a brilliant article I read once in the Guardian about 'bowling rather than juggling'. It was a response to a question from a new dad about how he could cope with both a new job where he was trying to impress and his obligations (and his wife's needs) as a father. The answer was simply to give 100% focus to the job when at work and then 100% to his role as a dad when at home - one task at a time.
Of course, it's still important to ensure that the time spent on work is reasonable and that the time we give to our other demands, such as family not to mention our own needs, is also reasonable. That comes down to valuing all aspects of our lives, committing to leaving the office at a reasonable hour, saying no where appropriate, and recognising that having an appropriate balance will enable us to be more effective in all that we do.
For the new dad and for my husband, there may be times when the balance is a bit lop-sided. When that exceptional phase is over, redressing the balance will lead to a happier and healthier life for everyone.
Work-life balance is such a common, and important, theme in my coaching that I write about it a lot in my newsletter - and regularly help clients whose life balance is way out of kilter.
If you haven't already signed up, subscribe to my free newsletter in the box on my website so you receive tips on issues such as life balance. Or, if you'd like to learn about this in greater detail, and enjoy working on your own at your own pace, have a go at my online course How to Find More Time for Work and Play.
Soon you too could achieve that elusive work-life balance. What a great way to start the new year!
No, I meant the extra busy-ness of our lives as the calendar creeps - or gallops - towards 25 December.
If your diary is anything like mine, it will be liberally scattered with various Christmas events and happenings. This year somehow seems busier than ever, with our two children now attending different schools each with their own set of Christmas festivities.
Meanwhile, my husband is digging himself deeper into his new job, working ever longer hours.
I bet there are some of you doing the same - working apparently harder and harder and still trying to juggle all the other demands on your time?
There's a brilliant article I read once in the Guardian about 'bowling rather than juggling'. It was a response to a question from a new dad about how he could cope with both a new job where he was trying to impress and his obligations (and his wife's needs) as a father. The answer was simply to give 100% focus to the job when at work and then 100% to his role as a dad when at home - one task at a time.
Of course, it's still important to ensure that the time spent on work is reasonable and that the time we give to our other demands, such as family not to mention our own needs, is also reasonable. That comes down to valuing all aspects of our lives, committing to leaving the office at a reasonable hour, saying no where appropriate, and recognising that having an appropriate balance will enable us to be more effective in all that we do.
For the new dad and for my husband, there may be times when the balance is a bit lop-sided. When that exceptional phase is over, redressing the balance will lead to a happier and healthier life for everyone.
Work-life balance is such a common, and important, theme in my coaching that I write about it a lot in my newsletter - and regularly help clients whose life balance is way out of kilter.
If you haven't already signed up, subscribe to my free newsletter in the box on my website so you receive tips on issues such as life balance. Or, if you'd like to learn about this in greater detail, and enjoy working on your own at your own pace, have a go at my online course How to Find More Time for Work and Play.
Soon you too could achieve that elusive work-life balance. What a great way to start the new year!
posted by Elizabeth Juffs at 12:04 PM
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