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“There is more to life than work.” You have heard it before, probably thought about it, and may have even realized that it was a good idea. Perhaps you have even struggled to make it a reality in your life, but you just cannot seem to find that delicate balance between work and life. Eight-hour workdays are remnants of the past. More often than not, you find yourself working ten, twelve, or even fourteen hour workdays. That does not leave a lot of time for anything else, does it? Finding
and maintaining a comfortable balance in life is a challenge that many people face. It is likely that you focus more time and
attention on work than other areas of your life. Your
responsibility for finances, products, services, customers, and employees is
time-consuming and often overwhelming. There are
five dimensions of your life that need your attention.
They are: Spiritual DimensionAt Work: Keep focused on the mission of the organization. Make your decision based on what the organization is all about. Reflect daily on your personal goals and behavior. Consider if you are on the most appropriate path for success. Determine if your daily activity is aligned with what you truly want to accomplish. Mental DimensionAt
Work: Plan your work and your time. Be sure to include your personal appointments in
your scheduling. Look for ways to eliminate
“time-bandits”. Remove physical
clutter from your work area. Say “no”
to requests that do not fit with your master plan. In Life: Schedule family and personal activities. Remove clutter from your home; simplify. Let go of perfectionist tendencies about how things should be. Set goals which allow you to discover yourself. Social Dimension At
Work: Honor relationships through open
communication and conscious cooperation. Treat
everyone, employees, customers, and vendors with dignity and respect. Look at situations from different points of view. In Life: Nurture your relationships. Refrain from canceling personal appointments because you have too much work to do. Look for the humor in life. Emotional Dimension
At
Work: Monitor the emotions you feel. Take time to process what you observe. Refrain from dumping your feelings on others,
especially when you are feeling angry. At the
end of the workday, release all of your concerns so you can be ready for time outside of
work. Leave work at work. In Life: Take time for your self, daily. Meditate, commune with nature, or read inspirational material. Sit and do nothing. Become comfortable with who you are outside of your title and occupation. Physical Dimension
At
Work: Take frequent breaks. Move around.
If you find you are sitting a lot, stand up and move around about every
fifteen minutes. If you are on your feet,
wear comfortable shoes, stretch your back and legs, and sit down periodically. In Life: Exercise regularly. Rest and relax your body. Get the appropriate amount of sleep you need. Play with young children. Eat nutritious foods. Refrain from smoking. If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. How you live your life is much more important than what you
do. Creating and maintaining balance in life
is worth the effort right now. You will live
a richer life; enjoy the process of living and relationships while being true to yourself. You can balance life and work if you really want. It starts with that first step. Mountain View Hospital offers businesses and industries in our area a new program, Community Support Services. Businesses can arrange performance enhancement seminars, non-violent crisis intervention training as well as Adventure Based Counseling team building workshops. If you are interested in obtaining more information about these or other services offered through Mountain View Hospital, please call 1(800) 245-3645. | ||||||||||||