Creating more balance
Is work/life balance real? And if it is…is it obtainable?
The answers are easy -- yes and yes. But as so many of us have found; creating work/life balance in life is more challenging than we are led to believe.
If you want to increase your odds of finding your sweet spot in creating a work/life balance you need to start stacking the deck in your favor.
1) Clarify what work/life balance means to you. What would it look it? What are your needs? What are your goals?
2) Begin (and practice maintaining) setting clear and healthy boundaries. If balance is elusive, it’s time to set up boundaries with yourself, with work, and with friends and family.
3) Prioritize tasks on a daily, weekly, monthly, and/or yearly basis. How are you managing your time and energy based on your values, goals, and needs?
4) Commit to making time for meeting your needs, including time for rest, planning, time set aside for friends and family, and free time, interests, and hobbies.
5) Communicate all of this—with everyone. Watch how you are talking about this—including within your thoughts.
A healthy balance helps reduce stress, improves overall well-being, and increases productivity in both professional and personal areas.
Looking to explore this more? Here are 10 journal prompts to help you assess your work-life balance:
How do I feel at the end of a typical workday—energized, exhausted, or somewhere in between? Why?
What activities bring me joy outside of work, and how often do I make time for them? What realistically holds me back from engaging in those activities?
Do I feel present when spending time with loved ones, or is my mind often occupied with work-related thoughts?
When was the last time I took a full day off without checking emails or doing work tasks?
What are the signs my body or mind gives me when I’m out of balance? Have I noticed any recently? How do I respond?
Am I clear about my personal priorities, and do my daily actions reflect them? Who supports my desire to have a healthy work/life balance?
What boundaries do I currently have between work and personal life? Are they respected by others? How do I respect my boundaries? How have I verbalized my boundaries?
How do I define success in life—and is that definition balanced between career and personal fulfillment? How does my beliefs and mindset impact this definition.
What would an ideal balanced week look like for me? How different is it from my current reality?
What small changes could I make this week to feel more balanced and grounded? Where am I need additional support or guidance?
We are typically the biggest roadblock in creating work/ life balance.
It starts with our limiting beliefs, negative mindset, and fears. But external demands, norms, values, and expectations can greatly impact our ability to create balance in our life. (think: hustle culture) Start recognize the red-flags a system that feels stacked against you.
Look at the following external roadblocks and journal or reflect on their impact on your ability to create change in those areas.
Boundaries: A boss, company, or culture that blurs the line between professional and personal life.
Unrealistic Workload or Expectations: Overloaded schedules, understaffed teams, or a culture that rewards overwork can make balance feel impossible.
Pressure to Perform: Guilt, embarrassment, or shame for taking breaks or not doing “enough” for the team or company. High-achievers or people-pleasers are rewarded in special ways.
Poor Time Management: A boss or supervisor with terrible time management skills can impact our balance. They may be unable to appropriately verbalize clear priorities or planning. Micro-managing might focus too much time on low-impact tasks or let work spill into personal time.
Lack of Support: Unsupportive managers, family, or social systems can make it hard to create and maintain balance. This can also include social norms that seem unfair or unrealistic. (Think: Super moms)
Technology and Constant Connectivity: Phones and laptops make it hard to fully disconnect, leading to a 24/7 work mindset.
Economic or Financial Pressures: Inadequate pay and benefits create increased stress to work harder or sacrifice needs. Needing multiple jobs, worrying about job security, or trying to keep up financially can make time off feel like a luxury.
Cultural norms and societies expectations can shift. Advocating for more work-life balance and fair wages as a worker takes courage, strategy, and clarity. If work-life balance is something you are seeking to create in your life, how can you support a bigger change in employer practices to support a more manageable work life balance?
Taking back your power from hustle culture means consciously redefining success, self-worth, and productivity on your own terms. It’s both an inner shift and an act of resistance against a system that equates constant doing with value. But it has to start with you and within you.
Good luck with finding and creating a better work/ life balance for yourself. You deserve it!
Mary
P.S. If you are needing support in this shift, reach out and we can discuss how holistic coaching can support your vision of experiencing more joy in life through creating a healthy work/ life balance!
