What Is Work-life Balance?

Its always nice to have a little breathing space! In 1988, when I started formulating the concepts in my book, Breathing Space, whose subtitle is Living and Working at a Comfortable Pace in a Sped Up Society, I stumbled upon some insights that are still true to this day. In the first edition, published in 199 , as well as the latest edition, I discuss five overarching trends ! what I called "mega#realities$ ! that influence every aspect of our being, and from which no one is immune. %riefly, these five mega#realities include& 'n e(panding volume of knowledge )ass media growth and electronic addiction the paper trail culture an over#abundance of choices *opulation growth +o, lets take each one, one at a time& Knowledge ! In one way or another, everyone fears being under#informed. ,he enormous volume of new knowledge broadcasted and published in every field e(ceeds our ability to keep pace. -ar more words are published and broadcast in a single day than you could ingest during your lifetime. ,he ..+. leads the world in sheer volume of information generated and disseminated. ,he impasse of this over#information era is that the time necessary to learn the rules for effective living seemingly e(ceeds your lifetime. ,his is why time management books so often miss the mark& ,hey list do/ens ! if not hundreds ! of rules, when you are already grappling with more rules than you can handle. +econd is Mass Media ! ,he effect of the mass media on our lives continues unchecked. )ore than four out of five 'merican households own 010 players. In 1923, three ma4or television networks dominated television ! '%5, 6%5 and 5%+. ,oday, there are more than 7 full# power independent television stations. 5able ,1 subscribers can receive 8 9 channels that offer more than 23, shows per month. :ith its sensationali/ed trivia, the mass media "glut$ obscures fundamental issues that do merit concern, such as preserving the environment or feeding the poor. 6e(t comes Paper Trails ! ;ike having too much data and eyewitness reports, having too much paper to deal with makes you feel overwhelmed and overworked. 'mericans today are consuming three times as much paper as ten years ago. ,here are two basic reasons why society spews so much paper& :e have the lowest postal rates in the world. :e have the widest base of paper#generating technologies. ,he typical e(ecutive receives more than 337 pieces of unsolicited mail each month ! about 13 pieces daily. ,he average family receives more than 3 catalogues that they did not re<uest, on top of those they did re<uest. -ourth is 'n Overabundance of Choices ! =aving choices is a blessing of the free market

economy, but its overwhelming, increases time e(penditure, and is a mounting form of e(haustion. )ore than 1,8 varieties of shampoo are on the market. )ore than 3, skin#care products are for sale. In e(cess of 137 different types of e(ercise shoes are available, each with scores of variations in style, function, and features. ;ast and certainly not least is Population ! -rom the beginning of creation to 187 , world population grew to one billion. It grew to two billion by 198 , three billion by 19> , four billion by 1929, five billion by 1982, si( billion by 1999, and it is currently en route to seven billion. ?very three years, an astounding 3>8, , people are added to the planet. ?ach day, world population @births minus deathsA increases by more than 327, people. 5an you believe itB Ceometric growth in human population permeates and dominates every aspect of our earth, its resources, the environment, and all living things. +o those are the five mega# realities of our era. 'nd against this backdrop, the <uest for work#life balance becomes more vital than ever. *redictably, a preponderance of speakers, trainers, authors, 4ournalists, and others whose professions entail regular communication with the masses proclaim the virtues of achieving and maintaining work#life balance. %ut a glaring <uestion arises& :hat, e(actly, is work#life balanceB 5ompared to the legions of instances in which the term is cited, surprisingly little has been written in articles and books about what the concept actually entails. -or 38 years Ive pursued a detailed understanding of why the pace of society has sped up, what the impact has been on the typical individual, and how each of us can forge our own sense and e(perience of breathing space throughout our lives. -rom my studies, Ive honed and refined the tenets of what I personally consider to be work#life balance, and here it is& Work-life balance is the ability to experience a sense of control and to stay productive and competitive at ork hile maintaining a happy! healthy home life ith sufficient leisure" #t$s attaining focus and a areness! despite seemingly endless tasks and activities competing for your time and attention" Coing further, work#life balance entails having some breathing space for yourself each dayD feeling a sense of accomplishment, while not being consumed by workD and having an en4oyable domestic life without short#changing career obligations. 'nd its rooted in whatever fulfillment means to you within 3E#hour days, seven#day weeks, and however many years you have left. 6ow, here is the involved part& +everal disciplines support work#life balance, though individually, none are synonymous with work#life balance. ,hese disciplines include& +elf )anagement ,ime )anagement +tress )anagement 5hange )anagement ,echnology )anagement ;eisure )anagement

;ets walk through each one starting with +elf )anagement. +ufficiently managing ones self can be challenging, particularly in getting proper sleep, e(ercise, and nutrition. +elf#management is the recognition that effectively using the spaces in our lives is vital, and that life, time, and available resources are finite. It means becoming captain of our own ship& 6o one is coming to steer for us. 6e(t is ,ime )anagement. ?ffective time management involves making optimal use of your day and the supporting resources that can be summoned, for you can only keep pace when your resources match your challenges. ,ime management is enhanced by creating appropriate goals and discerning what is both important and urgent versus what is important FG urgent. It entails understanding what you do best and when you do it best, and assembling the appropriate tools to accomplish specific tasks. 6e(t on my list is +tress )anagement. %y nature, societies tend to become more comple( over time. In the face of increasing comple(ity, stress on the individual is inevitable. )ore people, more noise, and more distractions ! independent of ones individual circumstances ! re<uire each of us to become more adept at maintaining tran<uility and being able to work ourselves out of pressure#filled situations. )ost forms of multi#tasking ultimately increase our stress, while focusing on one thing at a time helps decrease stress. 5hange )anagement is the fourth element. In our fast#paced world, change is virtually the only constant. 5ontinually adopting new methods, adapting old methods, and re#adapting all methods are vital to a successful career and a happy home life. ?ffective change management involves offering periodic and concentrated efforts, so that the volume and rate of change at work and at home does not overwhelm or defeat you. ,oo much change at once, and youll see people revert back to old ways. ,he fifth factor is ,echnology )anagement. ?ffectively managing technology re<uires ensuring that technology serves rather than abuses you. ,echnology has always been with us, since the first walking stick, spear, flint, and wheel. ,oday, the rate of technological change is accelerating, brought on by vendors who seek to e(pand the market share. Fften, you have no choice but to keep up with the technological "HonesesD$ still, you rule technology ! dont let it rule you. 6ow we come to the last and, I must say, most overlooked of the work#life balance supporting disciplines& ;eisure )anagement. Its vital to acknowledge the importance of rest and rela(ation ! you 4ust cant short#change leisure! ",ime off$ is a vital component of the human e(perience. 5uriously, too much of the same leisure activity, however en4oyable, can lead to monotony. +o, effective leisure management re<uires varying your activities. ,o summari/e, thus far, as we move into the brave new world of accelerating flows of information and communication, the <uest to achieve work#life balance on a regular and continual basis will be increasingly difficult, but its a challenge that is entirely worth pursuing. I mean, we owe it to ourselves, to our families, to our communities, and to humanity in general to achieve work#life balance.

' world that consists of human "doings$ ! not human beings ! scurrying about to get things done, with no sense of breathing space, is not a place where you or I would likely want to live. I dont want to be part of a culture of overwhelmed individuals who cant manage their own spaces or the spaces common to everyone. I dont want to live in a society, or a world, of time# pressed people who have nothing left to leave for future generations. )y guess is that you dont either. I choose ! I hope ! to live in a society composed of people leading balanced lives, with rewarding careers, happy home lives, and enough breathing space to en4oy themselves. Im convinced that for much of the world, the pace of life will speed up even more. +o the future will belong to those people who steadfastly choose to maintain control of their lives, effectively draw upon their resourcefulness and imagination, and help others to do the same.

The Six Components of Work-Life Balance:

1) Self-Management +ufficiently managing ones self can be challenging, particularly in getting proper sleep, e(ercise, and nutrition. +elf#management is the recognition that effectively using the spaces in our lives is vital, and that available resources, time, and life are finite. It means becoming captain of our own shipD no one is coming to steer for us. ) Time Management ?ffective time management involves making optimal use of your day and the supporting resources that can be summoned ! you keep pace when your resources match your challenges. ,ime management is enhanced through appropriate goals and discerning what is both important and urgent, versus important or urgent. It entails knowing what you do best and when, and assembling the appro#priate tools to accomplish specific tasks. !) Stress Management %y nature, societies tend to become more comple( over time. In the face of increasing comple(ity, stress on the individual is inevitable. )ore people, distractions, and noise re<uire each of us to become adept at maintaining tran<uility and working ourselves out of pressure# filled situations. )ost forms of multi#tasking ultimately increase our stress, versus focusing on one thing at a time.

") Change Management In our fast#paced world, change is virtually the only constant. 5ontinually adopting new methods and re#adapting others is vital to a successful career and a happy home life. ?ffective change management involves making periodic and concerted efforts to ensure that the volume and rate of change at work and at home does not overwhelm or defeat you. #) Technolog$ Management ?ffectively managing technology means ensuring that technology serves you, rather than abuses you. ,echnology has always been with us, since the first walking stick, flint, spear, and wheel. 6ow, the rate of change is accelerating, brought on by vendors seeking e(panding market share. Fften there is no choice but to keep up with the technological Honeses, but you must rule technology, not vice versa. %) &eisure Management

,he most overlooked of the work#life balance supporting disciplines, leisure management acknowledges the importance of rest and rela(ation# that one cant short#change leisure, and that "time off$ is a vital component of the human e(perience. 5uriously, too much of the same leisure activity, however en4oyable, can lead to monotony. ,hus, effective leisure management re<uires varying ones activities.

Sometimes, busy

ork!ays can feel like a marathon

ith the finish line still ork aitin$ for on!er so ork

miles a ay" #ou enter the office early to fin! a mountain of you, a full inbox, an! a calen!ar blocke! out home" In a recent stu!y by 'ccenture, reco$nition, an! autonomy ( men an! omen in re$ar!s to 'n! if you%re re$ularly office, your

ith meetin$s" It%s no

many employees ha&e $ro n accustome! to stayin$ late an! takin$

ork-life balance ( ahea! of money, as the key !eterminant for more than half of hether or not they ha&e a successful career"

orkin$ late or pullin$ a ni$ht-shift from your home

ork-life balance is at stake" ith the tra!itional )*-

I firmly belie&e in breakin$ the time clock to !o a ay to-+,, but spen!in$ e&ery e&enin$ knockin$ out Completin$ your

ork can be ha-ar!ous"

ork !urin$ !esi$nate! business hours isn%t .ust possible,

it%s also necessary for stayin$ on top of your career" /ere%s ho to lea&e ork at ork:

Critique yourself
If your 01-hour hour eek has transforme! into somethin$ a bit closer to a 21the issue" 3et to the bottom of ork !ay to allo astin$

eek, you o e it to yourself to re&ie

here the ma.ority of your time is bein$ spent !urin$ your

for increase! time mana$ement an! pro!ucti&ity" If you fin! yourself time for some restructurin$"

the ma.ority of your time mana$in$ your inbox or in meetin$s, it may be

Knockout big tasks first

4earran$e your sche!ule to ensure you hit the $roun! runnin$ e&ery !ay by tacklin$ bi$$er pro.ects as soon as you $et to the office" #ou%re actually at peak performance earlier in the !ay, so takin$ on bi$ tasks earlier in the !ay

means you%ll be likely to achie&e more" 5o&e your less important tasks to be taken care of after lunch"

Create a schedule
6on%t .ust put to$ether a half-hearte! to-!o list, $o a step further an! establish a sche!ule for your ork!ay" 7or example, if you%re plannin$ on orkin$ for ei$ht hours, allot an estimate! time for each pro.ect or task ( e&en the bi$ pro.ects ( you%&e $ot on your to-!o list" '&oi! fallin$ into the time- astin$ trap of replyin$ to emails an! returnin$ phone calls" Instea!, allot 81 minutes a !ay to take care of all of your follo ups instea! of re$ularly starin$ at your phone an! inbox"

Avoid interruptions
Become militant about creatin$ a !istraction-free hea!phones in if it%ll help you ork" orkspace" Close out all

unnecessary tabs on your bro ser, silence your phone, an! put your

Turn off autopilot

Sometimes hen you%re racin$ to finish your to-!o list, it%s easy to $o into ork" Takin$ a fe breaks ill ork more efficiently an! effecti&ely" 9nce you%&e

autopilot mo!e until you complete your actually help you

complete! a bi$ task, $et up from your !esk to stretch, $rab somethin$ to !rink, an! .ust refresh your brain before mo&in$ onto the next thin$"

Learn the power of saying no

#ou ha&e a busy !ay ahea! of you, an! yet you still accepte! that conference-call in&itation" Sometimes )no, hen e for$et ho important it is to say e%re busy" While it isn%t al ays possible to turn !o n e&ery hen you%re especially

meetin$ in&itation, try your best to make a case

busy" 7or example, you can ask to lea&e early or ha&e someone share meetin$ notes ith you"

Perspective
6on%t s eat the small stuff an! en! up turnin$ your to-!o list into far more than it really is" Simply focus on meetin$ the !ea!lines" If you fin! yourself anxious about your sche!ule for the next !ay or may be a reason look at hy you eek ahea! of you ( hich ork late ( lay out your sche!ule to take a better

hat nee!s to be accomplishe! so you can establish a timeframe"

Know when you re done

Stop spen!in$ your e&enin$s in the office re orkin$ thin$s until they%re perfect" :stablish a clear !efinition of the en! result ( it, check out for the !ay" :liminatin$ orkin$ late an! lea&in$ ork at the office often comes !o n to hen you%&e reache!

better time mana$ement" 6o you ha&e any tricks for mana$in$ your time at comments belo ; ork? Share them in the

When you run your o n business, ha&in$ a personal life ten!s to $et place! on the back burner, an! not .ust hen you%re first startin$ out" Culti&atin$ a balance bet een runnin$ your business an! li&in$ your life is essential to the health of your company" Without time to relax an! sociali-e, you may miss opportunities for the kin! of creati&e $ro th that lea!s to truly successful business i!eas" /ere are <1 !" #o less #ou !on%t ha&e to !o e&erythin$ at once, an! you certainly !on%t ha&e to $et e&erythin$ finishe! to!ay" By settin$ small, achie&able $oals =like finishin$ t o important items instea! of se&en or ei$ht>, you%ll $et more !one by !oin$ less" With fe er tasks to focus on each ays to achie&e an! maintain the ork-life balance you%&e been lon$in$ for"

!ay, you%ll be able to $i&e each .ob the un!i&i!e! attention it !eser&es" The ?uality of your ork ill impro&e an! you%ll feel less burnt out" $" %et an end ti&e When you%re your o n boss, it%s easy to $et cau$ht up orkin$ ni$hts an! eeken!s an! e&erythin$ in bet een" 6eci!e on an en! time, like 2 p"m", an! stop orkin$ at that time each !ay" #ou%ll be inspire! to $et more !one !urin$ the !ay in or!er to finish before the clock runs out, an! you%ll actually ha&e time =an! ener$y> for a personal life in the e&enin$s" '" %tick to a schedule Whether it%s eeken!s off, takin$ a mi!- eek ) eeken!, e&ery We!nes!ay, or $ettin$ into the office at <1 a"m" each !ay, a set sche!ule ill $reatly impro&e your ork-life balance" @se the time off to reconnect ith family an! frien!s, en.oy your fa&orite acti&ities, or .ust relax" 5ake sure that your sche!ule allo s for ample time a ay from ork" (" Co&&it to sociali)ing When settin$ plans to see frien!s an! lo&e! ones, you may be tempte! to let ork !ictate your le&el of commitment" )I%ll see ho much I $et !one, ten!s to be the ans er of many entrepreneurs hen aske! to commit to a social e&ent more than a fe hours in the future" 7orce yourself to $i&e a firm )yes,, then stan! by that commitment" Treatin$ fun, non- ork e&ents like important appointments ensures that you%ll sho up an! $et some all-important face time ith people besi!es your team an! clients" *" +aintain boundaries If you make yourself a&ailable to clients A0BC, they%ll come to expect it" Set boun!aries an! office hours, an! stick to them no matter hat" #ou !on%t ha&e to return phone calls or emails ithin an hour e&ery time" Settin$ a stan!ar! can help set expectationsD for example, you coul! inform clients that you%ll $et back to them ithin A0 business hours" ," -eally be out of the office 6o you often fin! yourself out ith frien!s but constantly fiel!in$ calls or checkin$ your email? Eext time, turn off your phone an! lea&e it in your car, or assi$n one of your frien!s as the )phone police, an! make sure they enforce your no-phone rule hile out" 'fter all, you on%t recei&e the benefits of sociali-in$ if you%re orkin$ !urin$ that time" ." Take breaks ' <1-hour ork!ay !oesn%t nee! to mean orkin$ for ten hours strai$ht" Take fre?uent, short breaks to maintain ener$y an! focus throu$hout the !ay" 'n! yes, that inclu!es takin$ a fe minutes to call your spouse or ans er a personal email" ' fe minutes of personal time !urin$ the ork!ay is perfectly acceptable an! normal" /" Personali)e your workspace #ou spen! a lot of time orkin$, so make sure your ork en&ironment is inspirin$" Brin$ your !o$ to the office =if appropriate>, buy yourself a plant, an! fill your space ith photo$raphs or art ork that makes you happy"

0" Take vacations Solopreneurs may not ha&e assi$ne! &acation !ays, but that !oesn%t mean you !on%t !eser&e a break; Check in ith your re$ularly employe! frien!s an! be sure you%re takin$ a similar amount of !ays off each year" !1" %tay organi)ed It%s impossible to maintain ork-life balance hen you%re burie! un!er paper clutter" Feep your orkspace or$ani-e! ith a ser&ice like Shoeboxe!, hich ill scan an! !i$iti-e your receipts an! paper !ocuments for you" With a clean !esktop an! an or$ani-e! office, you%ll be better able to lea&e ork behin! at the en! of each !ay