5 questions to ask yourself to assess your work/life balance

Feeling out of balance is not always about work and life; it may just be about life! With work and life becoming increasingly blended, thanks to technology and flexible working, the edges of work and life are more and more blurred.

Whether you are resisting this change, accepting it wholeheartedly or are tentatively exploring how you can make it work for you, executive coach Jenny Garrett has five questions that can help.

1. What’s your ideal balance?

Sometimes we don’t even dare to dream of our ideal balance because we don’t think it’s achievable. But, taking some time out to visualise it can make it more real and more achievable for you.

When you visualise, try to get as much detail as possible. Think about watching TV in high definition – those vivid colours are what you are looking for. Find a quiet space and ask yourself: “If I had the ideal life balance, what would I be doing and saying? Where would I be? How would I feel? What sights and sounds would there be? What would shift in my thinking and behaviour?”

2. Who do you need to talk to?

You may need to speak to your partner about sharing the household chores, or reducing your work hours. Or speak to colleagues about your workload and stress levels. You may want to speak to friends about their balance, or perhaps you want to seek out a coach trained to help you overcome barriers and create a plan for your future balance.

There are so many options. Talking opens you up to a world of further help and support.

To find a coach near you, use our advanced search tool. Simply pop in your postcode and filter for ‘work/life balance’.

3. How will you take some time out?

If working on your balance is really important to you, you will need to find the time to think it through. Whether it’s finding a corner in your home to reflect in, going for a long walk or attending a retreat designed to give you the ‘me time’, find the guidance and space that you need. After all, nothing will change unless you do.

4. Are you stepping into all four rooms?

Imagine you are made up of four rooms and, if you don’t visit each room every day, you are not whole or in balance. The rooms are:

• Physical: Do you exercise?
• Emotional: Are you in touch with how you feel?
• Mental: Are you getting to use your brain in the way you want to?
• Spiritual: Do you have time to connect with your inner wisdom?

Which rooms do you visit regularly, which do you neglect and why? How do you want to make positive changes?

5. What small action can you take?

Finally, getting an immediate win when you are making any change in your life will give you the momentum to keep going. What could you do to start getting the balance you want now, however small it is?

You could take a proper lunchbreak once a week, have the weekend off from working or go to a dance class. Creating a schedule can be really helpful to achieve the life balance you want.