Building Balance in Your Work

Building Balance in Your Work

by | Apr 22, 2019 | Off Topic

Building Balance in Your Work

Every month, we have opportunities to do things better, be mindful of how we proceed, and build our best life every single day.
For me, the most important step is being mindful of the need to build balance. As a busy family law attorney and entrepreneur, it’s easy for me to get caught up in work every minute of every day – especially in our 24/7 always-on culture.

But when I do, things spin out of control. In the last part of 2018, I fell ill and it lingered for weeks – nearly two months in the end. That’s not good on so many levels.

building balance in workplace

Recalibrating For Focus

Stress leads to lack of productivity, and eventually illness, and being out of balance speeds up the possibility of stress-lock. That’s my new word for how it feels to be overwhelmed with work and not sure how to get things on track.

travel work

My reminder to be mindful applies not just at work, not just in my personal life, but to both, building balance in every aspect of life.

Right now, I’m trying to be kind to myself, to know it’s going to take time to build balance back into my life. I must accept that I can’t let stress get the better of me, so I won’t become sick again. Step one in building balance is recognition of the need to focus on me and take care of me.

I’ll be honest: it’s not easy to do. Even though I write a lot about self-care, I’m not always an expert at it myself.

Being Honest is The First Step

If we can be kind to ourselves and apply that same understanding to others who may face the same challenges, we’ll all be better off. I am human with my own obstacles, just like my clients. But that’s not what a client wants to hear in their time of need. And I recognize that I am here to service my clients, to be helpful to others. My state of being is irrelevant in that equation.

So we soldier on, hoping for a sunny day each morning and doing our best when the clouds obscure the light.

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Travels

Travels

by | Oct 29, 2018 | Off Topic

Travels

It’s important to step out of our routine, get away from familiar surroundings to gain a new perspective.

This happens for me when I travel, but you don’t have to leave town to gain this important insight. It can be as easy as taking your spouse to the mall and offering to buy some sexy lingerie or a yummy-scented candle to ignite a spark in the relationship, or it can simply be going to dinner somewhere new and really listening to what your partner has to say.

You can even do it alone. Take a walk in the woods. Run in the rain. Spend a Saturday binging on mindless TV. Write in a journal. Meditate.

travel work

Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash

Step Away

Stepping away from routine and familiarity is good for relationships. It’s good for gaining clarity. It’s good for building balance.

During a regular week, I am often stressed and that makes me not always nice to those around me.

When I leave that setting, my mood and tone change almost immediately – and it reminds me how much I need to build that in to my daily life, not just wait for special trips or occasions.

For many people, different scenes lead to a different you.

travel work

Alone Time is Powerful

Create ways to have special time by yourself, with your partner, with each of your children, and as a family.

You don’t have to spring for a fancy vacation; try to find little getaways where you get to connect – make a picnic, go kayaking, stroll through a farmer’s market.

Life is cyclical, and so are relationships. Don’t fall prey to the dips and falls of those cycles; take charge by creating new places and experiences to see life differently, to gain perspective. When you do, everyone wins.

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