Stop Thinking Work And Life Are Two Different Things

decision

For years people have talked about work-life balance. Books have been written, speeches made, presentations given about how to balance work and life. Of course none of them work and people keep looking for ways to balance the two. The reason that methods to balance work and life fail is that they start from a faulty premise. Work and life aren’t two separate tings.

Work is part of life. It doesn’t stand apart from it. One reason that people encounter so much stress is that they are trying to silo work and treat it differently. When you understand that work and life are part of the same thing, you can start to manage it all better.

  • Start with tools: The tools we use to manage work, like to-do lists, accounting software, and CRMs can be used in our everyday life. Use CRMs to keep track of birthdays and to remember to call friends and family to keep in touch. Use accounting software to manage your retirement accounts, savings, checking, and other financial information. Track projects, manage doctor’s appointment and little league games the same way you would manage your business calendar.
  • Integrate planning: Make goals for work, retirement, family, etc. together. If you’re planning home improvements, make specific goals and give them deadlines. Retirement plans and work plans should go hand in hand to ensure your income and savings are growing at a pace that will support you in retirement.
  • Keep learning and keep teaching: Technology changes. Processes change. You must keep leaning to keep up. More than that it is important to teach. Share your knowledge with co-workers, people you mentor, and your children. Pass on your knowledge.

By accepting that your entire life is integrated, you’ll get more out of all the parts.

To find out how a Modern Observer Group coach can help you manage your work and the rest of your life, set up a free introductory call here.