3 Ideas to Improve Work Life Balance

Organizational leaders ask this question all the time, “How do you maintain a healthy work-life balance?” On this subject, I am very much a student. Learning as I go, some ideas have stood the test of time. I will share these ideas with you.

Embrace the right paradigm. When you think of the work-life balance conundrum, are you trying to solve a problem or manage a tension? Work-life balance is a tension to manage not a problem to solve. Balancing work and life is a continual challenge as life unfolds, as opportunities emerge, as family seasons get more or less difficult. In other words, play the long game. You will not solve the issue by Friday at noon. And when you feel that you have solved work-life balance, something new will emerge in your life to disrupt the equilibrium.

It is like flying an airplane, the pilot sets the course and then continually adjusts and re-adjusts the flight plan because the wind and other conditions are continually taking the plane off-course.  Stick with it. Stay committed to pursuing the proper balance over the long haul.

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Manage your morning and evening rituals. Few leaders have complete control over their day-time work hours. There are meetings to attend; reports to submit; crucial conversations to have; there is always more planning to do and fires to put out. Your schedule is full, very full every day from 8am-5pm. And that time is not always within your direct control. But most organizational leaders have more control in their early mornings, evenings and much of their weekends. Take advantage. Do not allow less important priorities to grab your attention thus inhibiting you from investing your mornings, evenings and weekends in activities and people that matter most.

Maximize your morning routine by filling it with some or all of the following: personal prayer time; aerobic exercise and strength training; personal growth and professional reading; deep connection with your core values and mission; reflection. Your evenings can be invested in building relationships with those closest to you – spouse, children, extended family and friends. Remember, it is not about prioritizing your schedule, it is about scheduling your priorities and relationships.

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Be as intentional at home as you are at work. Bringing work home with you is rarely a good idea. The one thing you can bring home is an intentional approach. Most executives I know spend tons of time and energy planning, prioritizing and strategizing at the office. Great leaders apply an intentional approach to focus on doing the most important work, staying true to their mission and moving the needle on the right priorities. The same should be done at home. When was the last time you clarified your family core values? When was the last time you mapped out a 3-5 year strategic plan for the home? What is the most important part of family life over the next quarter?

Some may think this kind of corporate language does not apply at home.  I think the best parents are highly intentional about the culture at home and clarifying a vision for their family. Planning, intentionality, prioritizing and strategic thinking should be discussed at the kitchen table as often as the board room table. These leadership topics do not come from the language of business, they come from the language of greatness. Great families are led by highly intentional parents. One of the most intensive efforts we did in this space was to create family crest. I have a downloadable guide to help you create a family crest on my website.