We read so much about people wanting to have more of a work life “balance” and what is interesting to me about this is how we separate the two. People who run their own businesses or are in the process of starting one will know that they aren’t separate at all. Smart phones mean that we can be reached pretty much any time of the day and night by email and the internet means that we don’t even need to be in an office to do our jobs.
If you are feeling out of balance then it could be that you have gotten out of sync with the aspects of your job that you enjoy or you are pushing too hard. All it takes is a little adjustment in your thinking and some systems in place and you can begin to feel a renewed sense or motivation and enjoyment.
Tony Robbins defines success as “doing what you want, when you want, with who you want” baring this in mind, the question to ask yourself is “Do you love what you do?” Our jobs take up so much of our time that it makes sense to do what you love or at least incorporate more of what makes you happy into your current job.
For the last 4 months I have been in a bit of a work bubble, I moved to the Spanish island of Ibiza from London to write my online program “Be Your Own Publicist” which is an accumulation of several years studying successful people and working with private clients, and to build up Mung Beans & Champagne, an insiders guide to urban wellness, and at times I have felt very out of balance- having come out the other side with a new perspective on what balance is I wanted to share my findings with you.
If you are feeling out of balance here are 5 questions ask yourself:
Why did I start this? It’s easy to get bogged down with the day-to-day challenges and lost in the details, especially at the beginning. Try and remind yourself why you started this? List ten things you love about your job or business and keep them visible.
What system could I put in place to take some pressure off? This could be hiring a virtual assistant, timing tweets and social media posts or even avoiding emails for the first hour of the day.
How can I give myself more time to relax? Working too hard is actually counter productive. “Forcing” things to happen will rarely get you the results that you want. Give yourself time in the morning and evening to sit in silence and try and decompress. You will see a noticeable difference in your work.
How can I have more fun? Yes, sometimes that email can wait until tomorrow morning. Being glued to your laptop all the time is not going to do you, or your clients any good.
What am I working towards? Are you setting clear goals for your business? Having a written list of what you are working towards gives you something tangible to focus on and motivated you when the going gets tough. Jim Rohn says, “You can’t hit a target you can’t see”
Remember, working harder is not always working better, get the best people you can afford to help you and put systems in place to take the pressure off where you can, remind yourself why you are doing this and give yourself a break!
If you are self employed you might also like this piece I did called “How to work from anywhere”
About Ryan James Lock:
Ryan James Lock is a brand consultant, writer and entrepreneur based in Ibiza. He is the founder of The Ryan James Consultancy, a brand strategy and personal coaching business and the curator of Mung Beans and Champagne-an insiders guide to urban wellness. Ryan is about to launch his online coaching program “Be Your Own Publicist” available from www.theryanjamesconsultancy.com To see more of Ryan’s work like him on Facebook – The Ryan James Consultancy and Mung Beans and Champagne Follow him on Twitter @RyanJamesLock
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