Who Says Balance & Success Don't Go Together
by Mary Ann Masur
It’s no secret that “multi-tasking,” “juggling,” or just plain “working the ‘to do’ list” can cause the most organized person to feel overwhelmed at times. Add to work responsibilities the huge list of caregiver responsibilities that most of us have, and there are many days that you probably feel as if you are carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders.
Sound familiar? Are you overwhelmed? If not, you’re lucky (and probably in the minority of Americans in the business world). All we have to do is look at the mental health statistics for anxiety and depression, now versus just 10 years ago, to see that the demands of our twenty-first century lifestyle are taking their toll. That’s not including the millions of people who never discuss their “plate too full” frustration and seek assistance from a doctor.
You would think that with all of the timesavers in our lives today--microwaves, cell phones, drive-thru meals, and email to name a few—that there would be more time to do what we want and need to do, not less. Unfortunately, these time savers have created a “do-it-now” mentality that adds to stress.
It is time to stop the chaos and approach or achieve balance in your life. Here are 10 tips for doing so.
- Determine your “unique ability” and capitalize on it.
Take a few hours to be reflective--long enough to identify your strengths, whether at work or in your personal life. Then determine to whom you can outsource or delegate the tasks you may normally do yourself, but that take away from your unique ability—tasks that drain your energy and derail you so you can’t shine. - Define “urgent” versus “important.”
Are you making time for things that are “important” but are not “urgent”? These are things that don’t have a noise attached to them, like the phone, email or dissatisfied customers. They are the tasks that advance your priorities, such as building relationships or finishing long-range projects. - Focus on your priorities, not priorities of others.
Take time each week and at the beginning of each day to determine what you believe must be done. What are your top three priorities above all else? - Make written “to do” lists and schedule time
to do these items.
Once you have identified your priorities, and focused on the results you desire, make a list of the activities needed for completion. Then put the activities on your calendar, and the list becomes more manageable. - Think “bite-size” pieces to achieve a goal.
If you know you want your goal at the end of six months to be a new certification or the sale of at least 10 accounts, take that goal and work backwards to develop your action plan, thinking “what will it take” in terms of manageable tasks to get you there. Ask yourself what you must do each month to reach that goal. Then, within each month, what must you do each week to complete the month’s task…each day? You can even divide the goal into 15-minute increments. - Establish equality!
Don’t allow egos to get in your way and intimidate you. So often, individuals (especially those in sales) feel a need to move mountains for demanding clients, only to experience the famous “rush to wait” or a change of mind. Don’t be afraid to ask “why” and negotiate deadlines to control your schedule. - Set boundaries & take time for you.
Remember your real priorities. If you want weekend time with your family, or just an hour each week for your yoga class, stick to your guns. Don’t schedule appointments, no matter how much a client leans on you, and schedule white space in your calendar to avoid back-to-back appointments. - Complementary philosophies reduce stress.
Don’t accept a job or stay in one with a company that is not complementary to your style. If you are not honoring your values and integrity and are working with people whose values conflict, your clients and the company will suffer, not to mention you. - Think Feng Shui.
Make sure your surroundings are conducive to supporting your creativity, energy and work flow. Reduce clutter and surround yourself with images that are positive or soothing to you. Decorate your office environment to reflect “you.” - End-Of-Day Quarterbacking & Reward.
Take a few minutes at the end of each work day to review tomorrow’s priorities, update your “to do” list so you don’t have to re-think it the next day, clear your desk so you don’t walk into clutter and chaos the next day, and pat yourself on the back for the accomplishments of the day. Then, once you’re home, take a few minutes of “quiet” time just to decompress so you don’t hit the bed wired tightly and breathless from the day.
While much of this may seem simple, do you do it? Most of us do not! To accomplish your priorities and achieve a sense of balance, I invite you to try a couple of these ideas. What have you got to lose, but your stress?
Mary Ann Masur, president of Synergy Consultants, LLC, is a professional coach, serving organizations and individuals. She was one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women in 2000. She can be reached at maryann@synergy-consultants.net or at 410-377-7323.
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