Category Archives: Create Work-Life Balance

Are you more irritable and less patient with others? Do you feel disillusioned and no longer derive satisfaction from your accomplishments? Have your sleep or eating habits changed? Have you been feeling more and more stressed at work? Are you experiencing headaches or neck or lower back pain? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you might be suffering from job burnout.

And, if it’s any consolation, you’re not alone. According to a nationwide survey by Career.com, a whopping 77% of employees say they feel burned out on the job.

Why? Here are some of the most common causes of burnout:

Working harder and longer due to staffing cuts or fear of losing your job. Lacking appreciation, recognition, or rewards for your efforts. Having unclear or impossible job expectations. Being in the wrong job or profession. Performing monotonous or unchallenging work. Working in a dysfunctional, chaotic, or high-pressure … Continue reading Are You Suffering from Burnout at Work? 10 Ways to Fix It →

As you try to manage your current work environment and all of its responsibilities, you may notice how hard it is to learn to say no to new work projects or assignments. Most people accept new responsibilities at work without any resistance, feedback, or push back. Often I hear clients say, “It’s only one more thing” or “I can handle it” or “I want to prove myself.” You say yes when you know you should say no.

Here are 4 Ways to Learn to Say No at Work

Here are four ways to say no and provide feedback and push back at work without appearing uncooperative. After applying these tips, you’ll begin to notice a change in your workload, a decrease in the pressure you feel, and an increase in your overall productivity.

Never commit immediately.

No matter what type of project or assignment you are given, you … Continue reading Four Ways to Learn to Say No At Work →

“Joel helped me identify and draw parameters between work and life, as well as maintain a balance during intense situations. I now have greater focus, clarity and purpose in my work.”

Lynne Faulks, Manager, Legislative Relations,CALIFORNIA TEACHER’S ASSOCIATION

Gabrielle had been working to take on the types of responsibilities needed to move up the ladder for a promotion. She was striving to increase her visibility by taking on high-profile projects. About a month in, however, she felt completely overwhelmed with work. She’d taken on two new projects that made up nearly half of her workload. Trying to balance everything, she felt terrified of failing and leaving her boss with the impression that she just wasn’t leadership material. She found herself bringing home a mountain of work every weekend in an effort to get herself back on track—which of course never happened.

If you’ve been … Continue reading How to Balance Your Workload as You Take on Higher-Profile Projects →

and

Constant demands and requests from coworkers, colleagues, friends, and families can leave you drained and frustrated. It’s not an easy thing to say “no” to someone or something. Change your perspective — you’re saying “yes” to you and to your priorities and needs. You’re not saying “no” to a person, but to his/her request. Work boundaries protect your comfort zone.

Boundaries at work are not negotiable. You must communicate that gently, yet firmly, to others. When you set boundaries for yourself and respect the boundaries of others, you are actually building stronger relationships.

Here are 10 ways to set and maintain boundaries at work

This will help you gain time, energy, and respect for yourself and others.

List people who drain your energy.

Even if you like them, they take your time without your permission. Identify which work boundaries you need to set.

Try to determine if you … Continue reading Top 10 Ways to Set Boundaries at Work →

A Client Example of a Workaholic

Recently a client confessed to me, “I find myself working 70 or more hours each week. I have no time or energy for anything other than work. I don’t see my family, I don’t have time for friends or hobbies and I feel completely overwhelmed. I want more time and fulfillment in my life. I would rather divide my time between work, nature, people in my life and travel as opposed to oozing out meager samplings of these between work.”

This is a common concern. People are working more hours than ever. They make a good income and are able to afford more material possessions, but at the expense of their happiness and satisfaction.

As the client above stated, she’s unhappy, exhausted and creatively starved.

Am I a Workaholic? Questions to Ask Yourself Do you make work top priority? Does work invade … Continue reading Am I a Workaholic? Learn 6 tips to Overcome Workaholism →

Client Example of Lacking Work Life Balance

Recently Janet, a 37-year-old client of mine who currently works in consulting asked me:

“Joel, I often find myself lacking balance in my life. I have so much work to do that I don’t have time for myself and my family. I’d love to just quit my job and move to an island where I have unlimited time to do whatever I want but that’s just not going to happen. How can I have time to get my work done and still have time to play?”

What is Work Life Balance? This is My Response to Her

Your life and work are an integral whole. You are more than just someone who works. You have many roles in your life: you’re a friend, family member, community member, significant other, parent and more. You have mental, emotional, spiritual and physical needs. How well are … Continue reading What is Work Life Balance?
4 Examples to Put Into Practice →

In a recent survey of 180,000 American workers, more than 80% indicated an intense dislike for their jobs. This is truly a sad reflection on an activity that absorbs a major portion of our lives.

Maybe it’s time for a conscious reassessment of our philosophy towards work. It seems to me that many of us are simply working too hard with too little to show for our labor.

Stop Working so Hard is Key to Balance Work and Life

Why are we influenced to “work so hard?” One client recently related to me, “I’ve never been afraid to work hard in order to get the pie in the sky I’ve always dreamed of. I’ve always been focused on what I want from life and doing the things I think I need to do in order to get there. Thus, I believe putting in long hours now will help me … Continue reading How to Balance Work and Life by
Stop Working so Hard →

Rob’s world seems to be spinning out of control. His desk is piled high with stacks of project data. The phone calls never stop. He can’t focus on one thing for long enough to see it through. He’s exhausted during the day but he can’t sleep at night. Why? Rob hasn’t taken a real vacation in more than three years.

Rob oversees a team of 25 people. He consistently works 60­- to 65-hour weeks, but he sees no way to cut back on his hours because he doesn’t know how he’d get it all done and still meet his bottom-line numbers. He’s already barely scraping by. A vacation seems like a distant dream. Besides, if he is gone even for a few days, his boss might figure out he’s not indispensable, he thinks.

Over coffee one morning, Rob’s coworker Janene shares research she’s come across about how vacations from … Continue reading Want to Live Longer? Take Your Vacation →

Gloomy Outlook Leads to Lack of Confidence

Everywhere you turn, whether it’s the nightly news, the front page of the newspaper or your quarterly 401K statement, the world’s economic circumstances are creating a very gloomy outlook.

A recent USA Today/Gallup Poll stated that two-thirds of those surveyed say their personal financial situation has been harmed by the mortgage meltdown and stock market fall, and even more expect to suffer long-term damage. The American Psychological Association reports that financial concerns “topped the list of stressors for at least 80% of those surveyed.” All of this impact your confidence.

Lacking Confidence, Belief, and Hope

With so many challenges, it can feel impossible to have any confidence, belief and hope. What is most necessary, but seems the farthest from reality, is to have unshakable confidence during these shakable times.

Research studies have shown that maintaining a positive attitude is not only better for … Continue reading Lacking Confidence: Unshakable Confidence in Shakable Times →

65% Describe Job as Stressful

According to a survey by Workplace Options, a Raleigh, NC, consulting firm, 65 percent of workers describe their jobs as somewhat or very stressful. The way to eliminate stress from your life is to set boundaries.

It’s been said that people pay more attention to balancing their checkbooks than they do balancing their lives. In today’s crazy, helter-skelter economy, it’s no wonder so many of today’s workers feel their lives are “overdrawn.” But you can restore sanity and balance to your life the same way you get your financial house in order. The key is setting boundaries. Like setting limits to control personal spending, you establish limits on how you budget your time.

Ideas on Eliminating Stress From Your Life

For example, you might promise yourself that you’ll leave work every day no later than 6 p.m. Or vow to spend at least 30 … Continue reading How to Eliminate Stress from Your Life →