In today’s recession, it may seem that work always has to take priority. A job is something to be prized and to be held onto at all costs. The corporate world can start to swallow up your family life and this can lead to problems with your wellness and well-being.
Fortunately, work-life balance is something that can be achieved. The first step to achieving this balance is to stop trying to achieve it. Stop trying to be the best in the corporate environment and the best family man or woman you can be. There simply aren’t enough hours in the day to enable you to do it all. Balance is far too big an aim to be achievable. If you put yourself in the position of aiming for this balance, you will simply feel stressed, and that stress will then lead to guilt. This negative cycle has all kinds of difficult physical and emotional side effects.
Instead, start to switch off the cycle of guilt. Accept that you can never do everything, and focus instead on doing the best that you can do with the time that is available to you. It may seem counter-intuitive, but you also need to schedule in downtime for the sake of your own mental health. Schedule family time the way you would schedule any meeting or business commitment and then make sure you stick to it. By blocking out this time in your calendar, you are more likely to find time to spend with your family – a decision you will not regret.
If you need more time to do things in your life, then cut back on the things that are mere time-wasters and don’t add any value to your life, for example things like internet surfing, television watching, and playing video games. These things are all too easy to get sucked into, and they waste valuable time. A good tip is to put stickers on items such as the TV and computer that say, ‘What matters most in my life?’ – this will give you a good reminder about what to prioritise.
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