Keeping Work and Life in Balance

As self-employed, freelance writers andjournalists, chances are you never switch off. When you get a commission, youhave to do it sometimes at very short notice to meet the deadline. Inparticular, you may have to cope with the challenge of juggling family and workdemands, trying to maintain a work-life balance, which if not achieved can beextremely detrimental to your physical, mental and emotional health.  Most people are interested in a higherquality of life.  Life where you havemore time for yourself and your relationships, with more energy to invest inemotional, physical and spiritual well-being 

Coaching can help you find the work/lifebalance. As reported by the British Journal of Administrative Management,coaching 'takes a holistic view of the individual' ensuring that work,corporate values, personal needs and career-development are made to work insynergy and not against each other.

Borne out of the competitive pressures oftoday's economy, as well as the struggle to find balance in the frantic pace ofmodern life, personal life coaching is now rapidly attracting devoteesworldwide.  Chief executives, entrepreneurs,professionals, people in career transition and many others grappling with lifeissues are all turning to this new tool to guide them through life'sdifficulties and help raise them above the 'fog' to the clear heights of peaceand self-satisfaction.

Whilst coaching supports all aspects of life,its ultimate aim is to achieve harmony and balance within the individual.  For women this means establishing a work-lifebalance that satisfies all the levels of emotional and professional needs.  It's about working to live, not living towork. 

Work-life balance is a self-defined,self-determined state of well-being that a person can reach, or can set as agoal, that allows them to manage effectively multiple responsibilities at work,at home, and in their community; it supports physical, emotional, family, andcommunity health, and does so without grief, stress or negative impact.  For those striving to enjoy this type oflife, coaching is an indispensable tool.

You can easily recognise when you're sufferingfrom an imbalance.  Symptoms such asconstantly being tired, feeling like you're running uphill all the time andgetting nowhere, feeling like you have no choices, no control; when life seemsto be happening to you instead of you feeling that you're managing it; when youcan think of more things that aren't getting done than are; when you see morenegatives in your life than positives.

Coaching is a powerful, collaborativerelationship between the coach and a willing individual, which helps thatindividual through the process of discovery, goal setting and strategicaction-planning to help realise an extraordinary result.  It is also a body of knowledge, a technologyand a style of relating that focuses on the development of that person'spotential.

Most people spend considerable time planningtheir annual holiday but how much time is spent planning a far more crucialjourney, one you don't get a chance to revisit if things don't work out the wayyou hope?  How much time do you spendmapping out where you want to go in life?

Just as Olympic sports men and women rely ontheir talent, determination and coach to give them the best chance of reachingGold, your Coach can make you a medallist in life.

In the security of this collaborativealliance with your coach you will reach clarity of purpose, identify goals anddevelop a plan of action.   You willestablish an understanding of what is really important to you in life, takecharge and realise your priorities. Put simply, coaching is about helping youto create and work towards the grandest version of the greatest personal visionyou have; to achieve success - success being the continuous realisation of aworthy goal or ideal.

Gerard's Work/ Life Balance Tips

·        Have a 'Date Night' with your partner one weekdaynight a week. Go for a walk together, a meal out and spend time talkingtogether.

·        Learn to say 'no'  and delegate tasks - make a list of 10 jobsyou can delegate and to whom

·        Adopt a positive outlook on life and a 'cando' mental attitude

·        Set realistic goals, review them regularlyand take steps towards them. For each goal, ask yourself how you would feelwhen you achieve it.

·        Appoint a life coach to help you fulfill yourobjectives and get the balance in your life

·        Watch your body language - how you stand andsit will affect the way you feel.

·        Don't spend time worrying - it's not anatural human state and solves nothing. Action is an easier and healthieroption, so choose it every time.

·        Take 15 minutes every day as 'me' time -listen to your favourite CD, have a cup of tea, go for a walk

·        Don't undervalue your own worth. Have beliefin yourself

·        Take control of your own life - otherwiseothers will control it for you.

Gerard