Being a mother and wife, and working full time can be hectic. Making sure that each area of my life receives my full attention is an even more daunting task. In her Forbes article, “8 Ways to Achieve Better Work-Life Balance,” Jacquelyn Smith quotes Jody Greenstone Miller, an author and chief executive of Business Talent Group: “Consider all the things that compete for your time, and decide what to keep and what to discard.” This is my favorite advice, but deciding what is most important in your life is hard. If there are multiple things in your life that you consider equally important, how do you prioritize them?
Smith offers the following advice. Check out her article to learn more:
- “Learn Your Employer’s Policies.” – Your company may offer flex time or telecommuting as a way to free up more time for yourself.
- “Communicate.” – If you are overwhelmed with home life or work, just ask for help. Communicate your needs.
- “Use Technology to Your Advantage.” – Modern technology allows us to still be connected to work and other important tasks while on the go, giving you time to do other things.
- “Telecommute.” – Sometimes sitting at home in your pajamas doing work is all the “me time” you need.
- “Learn to Say ‘No.’” – It’s OK if you don’t sit on the executive board of every organization. You can say “no” if you are feeling overwhelmed.
- “Fight the Guilt.” – You are probably taking it a lot harder than the person who you said “no” to. Let it go.
- “Rethink Your Idea of ‘Clean.’” – Your house doesn’t have to be spotless all the time. Go ahead, leave that plate in the sink for a few hours.
- “Protect Your Private Time.” – When it’s time to relax or spend time with the family, do just that. Turn off all distractions. Set time parameters on when work stops and fun begins.
Previously written by Tamara Curtis for Vector TalentMEDIA. For more Information about how the TalentMEDIA team can help you, contact Tara Madison at tara@vectortalent.com today!
