Work/Life Integration

In an ongoing quest to achieve more satisfaction in my work and life, I have some new words of wisdom to share. I’m a consummate planner and often focus so much on the future that I miss the little moments of each day that are also precious. Here are some tips to help you take pleasure in the little moments more often.

These tips come from Angela Jia Kim, Jennifer Tuma-Young, and Mike Michalowicz from a recent episode of Savor the Success online.

Cut the Fluff. Do what moves you forward to achieve your personal or professional goals. Eliminate the other things that take up time but don’t help you on your journey. Prioritizing will help you savor each moment more fully because it will help you become more productive instead of just being busy.

Program Hard Stops in Your Day. Take the liberty of scheduling the important pauses in your day from time-to-time, to do something special for yourself. By scheduling a work-out, a coffee break, a massage, or whatever is meaningful to you – productivity will rise because you will return to work more focused and energized. Sometimes a brief walk around the block is enough to give you a mood lift and help you refocus.

Communicate Your Goals with Your Family. So many workaholics complain about lack of quality time with their loved ones. We all know that sometimes the work load is uneven and late nights and weekends are a must. Be clear with your family so they are ready for these times and can cut you some slack. Communication is essential for clarity of expectations.

Learn to Say No. It’s ok to say no and you don’t need a long winded excuse. Keep it short and sweet and reserve the right to protect your time. If you give yourself boundaries you won’t over commit.

Consider a Day Off. Angela Jia Kim schedules fun Fridays with her daughter so they can spend quality time together and not worry about work. Look at your calendar and plan some mental health days so you can focus on yourself or your loved ones and enjoy a day off outside of your normal routine.

Balance is Bunk. The truth is we can’t have balance all of the time so the goal is to carve out time for yourself that is sacred and uninterruptable by work matters. If you can enjoy a moment in each day for yourself and plan for some extended hours of “you time” then you may just start enjoying the little moments as they are happening.