As I sat in the dark last week at camp, I think mmmm this could be a good chance to write, write a blog about life balance.
When was the last time you took time out of the business to enjoy camp or attend assembly for the kids or have a coffee with a friend or as simple as a walk? I was lucky enough to take 4 days out of my business to attend my daughter Caitlin’s Camp. With 125 kids, 20 adults, and 5 teachers it was going to be a busy few days!
Within any business, you have to make time within your day or week or month (or in this case 7 months due to school camp being delayed) to make things happen, we all need to take time out to make things happen, we can’t keep saying I can’t due to work comments!
How do I manage life/work balance?
I am no pro at this by any means, but we all have ways of creating the life/work balance we all want and need, but my ideally life/work balance is probably be different from yours and yours will be different from mine! Some weeks it works great and some weeks it does not. We all must find the balance that we are looking for.
List lists and a few more lists work for me (this may have something to do with spending 10 years as a chef). Your list could be on the computer. I LOVE crossing things off my list, so I am a pen and paper girl! I have a book that I use the week to week. I also use the whiteboard in the office. Do what you like and suits you and your needs.
On a Monday morning, I create a plan for the week. I write what I have to achieve, what I would like to achieve and a would be nice to complete a list. I break my days into 1-hour slots and allocate work to that time. My plan is completed in an excel spreadsheet (nothing fancy!) and I copy and past it each week change it when required.
I always do my dislike jobs first, the hard jobs, and the jobs I know that will take a while!
I set aside the time to focus on the job I am working on. I plan my week the best I can, I leave 30 mins a day to do those odd jobs that pop up. I also make time for lunch and morning tea and move away from the computer! I schedule in family time after school with the kids, and in my weekly plan is my boot camp time, if I see a clear plan for the week it really helps me focus.
My Facebook tab is closed, email notifications are turned off on my computer and phone, and I don’t answer the phone! (sorry clients). I find spending quality time on a job; I get through it quicker and am more focused on the job at hand.
We use a family calendar that has everything that our family has coming up and we all can see it. This is great so we all know what is going on. We use Teamup for this and works great.
My key tips for creating that perfect balance you want;-
1) Plan and plan and plan!
Create a list of what needs to be done and where set aside time in the day to complete it.
2) Turn Facebook off on your computer and phone
Nothing worst then ding ding ding
3) Turn email notifications off on your computer and phone
Emails can wait an hour, finish your job then go to emails.
4) Don’t be afraid to turn the phone off.
Our business needs to work for us, but we need to spend time with friends and family, we need our downtime to give our business the best of us.
“A Goal without a Plan is just a wish”
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