goals

“Balance is not something you find; it’s something you create.”— Jana Kingsford, Time Management Author

When we think of the good ol’ days, we often cast a rosy hue on what once was. But when it comes to work/life balance, chances are our parents didn’t have a great one. It helped that they also didn’t have cell phones, internet, or social media, so when they were not at work, they may have been more mindfully engaged in the present. But they also lived in a world where working long hours was a sign of dedication and success. 

Now we know better. Research has shown, many times over, that productivity is not tied to the number of hours you sit at your desk. The truth is, the more time we spend at work, or thinking about work, the more likely we are to get burned out. Burnout leads to lower productivity, less job satisfaction, and increased health risks. A better work/life balance leads to improved efficiency and better overall health. If you’re wondering where to start, we’ve got you covered. 

How Do Life and Work Get Out of Balance? 

A first step is to identify things that may cause an imbalance. 

• Working long hours or working a lot of overtime. It’s important to disengage from work. That’s hard to do if you’re working all (or most of) the time.
• Little choice in work hours or not being able to take off when you need to. While most jobs have scheduling requirements, a rigid schedule without the choice for flexibility leads to stress and resentment.
• High-pressure, high-stress jobs. Some jobs come with higher levels of stress, such as the medical profession, law enforcement, and teaching. For these kinds of jobs, the ability to leave work behind and relax is crucial. 
• Unreasonable expectations. Whether these are self-imposed or come from your boss, this can lead to chronic stress. 

Ideas to Help Improve Work/Life Balance 

Once you name the reasons your work/life scale may be tipped too much to one side, it’s time to take a practical look at how you can make positive changes. 

Consider your personal and professional goals, and figure out what you must do to achieve those. If you want to grow professionally, set boundaries to make that happen. For example, spend x hours a month on professional development. If you want to spend more time with loved ones or pursuing a hobby, set boundaries for those things. Boundaries are meant to protect. They draw lines so other things don’t encroach on that time and space. 

1. Learn to set boundaries. Set boundaries for others and let them know when they can expect you to respond to texts and emails and when you won’t be checking or responding. Set boundaries for yourself. Unless you’re on call, leave your work at work. It will be there when you get back. 

1. Tackle things in order of importance. Do your most important or most dreaded task first. If you can’t finish it, set a specific amount of time you’ll work on it, then move to the next item on your list. 

Delegate. Do what you need to do, and delegate tasks where you can.  

1. Think in terms of outcome, not office hours. Do your job and do it well. When it’s done, go home or log out if you can. If your job doesn’t allow you to do that, take some extra breaks. If your work is already done, you’ve earned it. 

1. Prioritize your health (both mental and physical). Use your breaks to take walks, listen to relaxing music, journal, or work on an office-friendly hobby.  When you leave each day, reward yourself with something that supports your overall wellness. 

1. Put yourself—and your family—on the schedule. Those we love most often get put at the bottom of the list. Don’t do that! Make appointments to spend time enjoying the important people in your life. 

1. Get away. Take a vacation (or staycation). You’ve earned your paid time off, so use it!

Achieving a healthy work/life balance can prevent burnout, chronic stress, and a load of health issues. No one ever looks back at their lives and wishes they’d spent more time at the office. When you get to the end of the year or the end of your days, you probably won’t regret time spent supporting joy, fun, and loving relationships.

Setting Healthy Goals

Every day we make choices about how to care for ourselves.  Because the consequences of healthy choices don’t happen overnight, sometimes it can be difficult to make smart choices. We choose to fulfill our short-term wants, because we’re not quite sure how to plan for long-term goals.

Healthy change takes commitment and time.  Setting goals is the most efficient way to accomplish a positive, healthy lifestyle.  However, how you frame and specify those goals plays a huge role in the chances of success.  Learning how to make specific, measurable, attainable, and forgiving goals sets you up for the life you desire. 

Goal-Setting Strategies

 

Specific- Goals should clearly describe what you would like to change and how you’re going to do it.  Often times, our goals are vague and too broad.

• General versus specific- A vague goal won’t supply you with the motivation you need for genuine change. For example, you might say, “I want to get fit.”  What does “fit” look like?  How will you achieve that?  A better way to succeed is to be very specific.  How often are you going to exercise and for how long?  If you need more energy for your fitness goals, how much sleep would you like?  What steps will you take to get to bed earlier?  There’s a big difference between, “I want to be healthier,” and “I want to go for a 60 minute run, three times this week, so I will have the energy to play with my kids on the baseball field.”     
• Write down your “why”- Why do you want to achieve this goal? What is motivating you?  Write down what your life will look like when you achieve this goal.  This vision is more powerful than a general, vague statement.  This reason, the “why,” will be the motivation to keep running, stop smoking, continue saving toward retirement, or whatever your goal entails. 

Measurable- How will you know you’re making progress if you don’t track it?  The more you measure, the more you’ll encourage yourself to keep going and celebrate when you meet your goal.

• Keep a record- Write down your behavior or track it with an app. These clues will tell you how and when you’re moving toward or away from your goals. For example, if your goal is to lose 15 pounds, you might count your calories or track your daily percentages of vitamins and minerals.  Records can also help physicians give you helpful advice.  Be mindful though; your current health, weight, etc. do not necessarily reflect what you did yesterday.  Change will take time. 
• Maintenance- You might feel overwhelmed if you have many different goals in your life. Instead, think about the changes you’ve made in the past and the healthy habits you’re already maintaining. Goals seem more within your grasp when you look at what you’ve already achieved. 
• Rewards- When you set measurable goals and track progress, you will know when to reward yourself. People are more likely to succeed when they have small, frequent rewards instead of holding out for one, large prize. 

Attainable- Goals should be realistic. Think about your time, finances, and abilities, and set small, attainable steps toward the larger goal.  These might be daily, weekly, or monthly goals, so you don’t lose motivation quickly.  Too large a goal will seem overwhelming. 

• Short-term- Move in small, consecutive steps. Setting short-term goals as steps toward long-term goals allows for encouragement and rewards along the way.  For example, if you choose to pay off all your debt, start with one bill.  Concentrate on paying extra on that bill for three months by minimizing eating out or entertaining.   
• Connect motivations- Sometimes a larger goal will seem too large and stressful. Consider connecting two smaller motivations to achieve your larger goals.  For example, wanting to be healthy might not be enough motivation.  Maybe taking a vacation where you can hike mountain trails will connect two interests and help you get in shape.   

Forgiving- Progress does not equal perfection.  There will be days when emergencies or distractions occur, and you have to spend your time doing other tasks.  Make allowances and practice self-compassion. 

• Avoid self-comparison- Everyone is unique and accomplishes change on his or her own timetable. Working with others can be encouraging and beneficial, but it’s wise to steer clear of comparing yourself to a friend or colleague.  Others may have faster and better results with the same strategies and possibly less effort.  Remember, meeting your goals is about creating the life you want to have and not about competing against others.  
• Seek help- If you do feel stuck on your goals or discouraged, ask for help. You can avoid mistakes along the way by checking out resources and people who are experienced and have met similar goals. 

If you’re ready to get started, the best way to begin is to start saying your goals out loud. Tell people what you’re working toward and how you’ll get there. The more you share your goals and your motivation for a better, healthier life, the more you will believe you can achieve them.  

 

Want to talk to a counselor today about this? 

Call Amplified Life at 800-453-7733 and ask for your “Free 15 Minute Phone Consultation" with one of our licensed counselors. We’ll listen, answer questions you may have, and help you plan next steps.

 

Sources:

https://bewell.stanford.edu/smart-goals

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/lose_wt/behavior.htm