Are you spending too much time on work?
Is spending every possible minute on your work the best thing for your life? It seems logical that the more you put into work, the more you will get out of it, right?
If you work 70 hrs a week, you will surely make more money and be more successful.
That may be true for a certain amount of time, however eventually, we all know that this leads to burn out, and can negatively impact your business, your life and those around you.
Working every minute of the day completely kills your work life balance. Not to mention your love/personal life!
I used to work MUCH MORE, especially when I was building my recruitment career and my interview coaching business at the same time. I’d hardly ever have a weekend off, as I was studying for my coaching qualifications or attending marketing seminars. My personal life has also suffered because of that. I never stopped working and I am sure you can relate to that.
Setting up a part-time business which generates leads and clients for me using the Internet has been life-changing. As the result of my blog posts, my teleclasses, webinars, ‘How to win at job interviews’ e-course and ‘You’re HIRED! video course, my database has now grown to 5000 subscribers, out of which 10% have been or are clients. That list is growing every day!
I can show you how to do it too and how to clarify your niche and the market you can be serving. Thanks to the Internet and my amazing mentors, I was able to create space in my life to do things I love doing. I now have much more control of my time and take regular vacation.
So, if you’re feeling overworked and finding it more challenging than ever to juggle the demands of your job and the rest of your life, you’re not alone. Today I’d like to give you a few tips to help prevent work from taking over your life.
1. Delegate
Do you really have to do it all by yourself? I see a lot of people who are scared of delegating as they think they are the only person who can do the job as well as them. It might take some time to train someone to do their job, but the more you delegate (especially tasks you are not so good at) and the more you focus on doing what you’re really good at and enjoy, the quicker you’ll see the benefits.
2. Only work in your office
It’s too easy to pull out the laptop while sitting and watching TV in the living room to get a few things done. This can turn the entire house into your office and can easily lead to the feeling of “well maybe I should be working now”. Instead, remember that it’s a rule not to work anywhere but the office.
3. Turn off the phone
If you are having dinner with your spouse, spending time with your kids or with friends, turn off the phone and give the people that are most important in your life the time and focus they deserve. Turn off your blackberry when you are at home – the red flashing light makes you answer your emails even if you don’t want to. I used to check my email every evening at home and while I still do it occasionally, it is not every day and the world doesn’t end when I don’t answer emails immediately.
4. Exercise and have fun hobbies
I used to say I don’t have time to exercise, but since I started getting up earlier just a couple of times a week to go for a run or to the gym, I feel so much more energetic. I also love going away a lot, even just for a long weekend and being in nature. Make sure you disconnect, and schedule time to relax, and spend time with friends and family.
5. Don’t feel guilty
It’s OK to not work. Not working is actually beneficial. It gives you the ability to recharge and clear your mind. When you start to feel that guilt, immediately remind yourself that you need to separate from work and recharge so that you’re ready to go when you get back to work the next day. By taking time away from work, you are actually being productive!
6. Make time to accomplish non-work related goals
This does not happen by accident. It takes planning and commitment to fulfill your goals in life. If you don’t have goals outside of work, now is a great time to think of a few. Start with one or two things that you can accomplish in a reasonable time frame and start planning your next step for that goal. These goals could include health goals, family goals, or maybe something related to your community. Please, REMEMBER balancing work and life will be an on-going challenge. Your goals and struggles are constantly changing, so your approach to juggling it all needs to be just as dynamic.
7. Don’t think about work when you are not working
Just because you are not typing at your computer or on your phone with a client, doesn’t mean that you are not working. Be in the present. Keep your mind on what you are currently doing. If you are driving your family somewhere, playing a round of golf with friends, or at dinner with family, stay focused on that. Worry about work when at work.
What would you do with the extra free time? Go ahead and leave me a comment below!
Hello Margaret, Did I give you my gmail address ? Recently I use gmail a lot because I receive too many spams on my old address.
I already answered your question, so I forgo answering it again here.
I continue asking you questions if you don’t mind. Local counselors speak only Japanese and I speak English more than Japanese.
Nobu
Great suggestions Margaret. I really like the suggestion to have no work related goals.
Thanks Jean!
Wonderful post, Margaret! I love how you encourage self-care and non-work related goals!
Thank you Gladys! Self-care is so important – in fact I am off to the spa the following weekend:-)