Is there anything you can do to be able to keep up with your busy career while at the same time having time to do what you have to do for yourself, your family and your friends? Is there really a way that you can just relax? Keeping the balance between your work and personal life is so important if you want to live a fulfilling life. Without this balance, you will be putting your personal relationships at risk, as well as your personal development and even your sanity.
But how are you supposed to recognize that there is something wrong with your work-life balance?
Here are the signs to watch out for:
1. All you think of is work.
This is the easiest sing that your work and life balance is awry. It is common for many people to forget about work whenever they are away from the office, but if in your case, you wake up at night feeling so worried about the marketing meeting set for the next day, then it’s clear that you are losing control of things around you.
Another sign is when you end up spending your weekends sitting at your desk at home to finish some work. Weekends are made for family time and relaxation. You are not supposed to stress about work during this time of the week.
2. You just can’t find time to be with your family.
Now, think about how much time you are actually spending with your loved ones. Of course it is important that you work hard so you may provide for your family, but at some point you have to realize also that they may not appreciate every material thing you are giving them because they never see much of you. And when you’re home, you are always tired, irritable and still preoccupied with work.
3. You constantly look for ways to cope with stress from work.
If you are always looking for some snacks or anything sweet just to get some extra energy to last the day, it is a sign that your job or career is taking its toll on your life. There is nothing wrong with looking for ways to get rid of stress, but if you have to do it on a daily basis, you seriously have to take a look at what’s happening in your life.
So what should you do to improve this balance?
There is no easy answer to this question because we all have different needs and different motivations for working hard. According to life coaching experts, perhaps the best thing you can do is identify what your priority is in life. Through this, you will begin to realize that life is not all about working and making money. Life is too short, so do whatever it takes to be happy.
Cecile Peterkin is a certified career and retirement coach, and a registered member of the Career Professionals of Canada and the International Coach Federation. She is also the Founder and Senior Career Strategist at Cosmic Coaching Centre, provider of career and life management services for middle managers and mid-career professionals across Canada, United States and Europe.