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Here at the-Coaching Blog-run by Gerard O’Donovan, our aim is to constantly bring value to those seeking to improve their lives. Therefore we have a policy of publishing articles and materials by guest authors whom we value and appreciate. Today’s guest author is Anne M. Bachrach (USA).
Is your life truly in balance? Don’t be so quick to answer yes. Leading a balanced life doesn’t mean living 50/50 between your personal and business lives. It’s about having enough time to do what really matters to you, whether that’s turning a nice profit in business or spending quality time with your family.
If you feel as if your life is out of alignment, read and implement the tips below for creating, even more, balance in your life.
1. Identify what’s important to you
There’s no right or wrong way to go about creating balance in life. This truly is a “to each his own” situation. Do you desire more time with your family? Maybe you are more interested in traveling the world? Do you want to be more fit and healthy? Or, perhaps you just want to focus on building your business. Contrary to common belief, balance does not have to equal out to 50/50. If you are content with the way you divide your time, your ideal of balance could work out to be 60% work and 40% family time, or vice versa.
2. Evaluate your current circumstances
Is your life in balance with your values? It’s easy to be excited about reaching a goal, but is what you want or what someone else wants for you (or for themselves)? This can be a fuzzy area for a lot of people because they allow the desires of someone else to mask their own. Before they know it, they really don’t want what they thought they did.
Are you where you want to be right now? If not, you need to evaluate what you need to do to get there. Your dreams and aspirations are important and should not be thrown away. If something in your life is consuming too much of your time, and it’s not bringing you closer to achieving your goal(s), then some adjustments will need to be made before you can achieve your goal(s). There is a high price to pay when you give up on your dreams, so always work toward achieving professional and personal goals that are meaningful to you.
3. Think outside the box
This is where you can get creative. Begin to consider creative ways to either create more time and/or money. Maybe you can take on a part-time job for one year and earn an additional $30,000 to do with as you please. Or perhaps you want to go back to school, but don’t want to go into debt. Maybe you’ve had a difficult time finding a new job in town or building your business. Consider moving to another city or state – even a foreign country. Thinking outside the box will allow you to come up with solutions you may not have considered before.
4. Redesign your life around your values
If your life is out of balance, it may be because your life does not match your values. Redesigning your life when there are others to consider may get a little tricky, but it will be well worth it in the long run. The most important thing to remember is that sacrificing happiness will not bring balance in your life – or the other way around. You first have to design your life from the inside out (around your values) for it to be in balance – not to mention to experience any level of happiness. It’s amazing how much easier life seems when you design it in line with your values. You will find greater satisfaction in many, if not all, areas of your life if you start with the core and work outward.
To download my complimentary values clarification exercise to help get you started on really defining your values, go to http://www.accountabilitycoach.com/values-clarification/
5. Evaluate your progress every three months
To be sure you stay on track and remain in balance according to your values, reevaluate your plan and make minor tweaks as needed at least once each quarter (every three months). You may need to delegate more tasks out to an assistant or implement a more strategic way of managing your time. If you find that changes are not being made either by lack of action or resources, it’s time to take a good look in the mirror. Ask yourself what you really want and create a new list of goals. Prioritise what’s most important to you and focus on rebalancing your life to accommodate those goals.
Creating balance in life won’t happen overnight; it may take weeks or months. The important thing is to be sure your goals are really what you want. It does not matter what someone else wants for you – it only matters what you truly want. Always start from within and work outward – not the other way around. Although you may have others to consider (children, spouse, significant other, partner, etc.) when making changes to your life, they should never be the reason you do not create a life that allows you to be happy and successful.
To help you get started, complete your personal Wheel of Life and Quality of Life Enhancer™ exercise you will find on my website (http://www.accountabilitycoach.com/coaching-store/inner-circle-store/) These resources are complimentary under the free Silver Membership. Get an actual reality check on your current situation and then create a game plan for where you want to be and by when. Balance in your life will bring even more happiness to you. Start today.
About Anne M. Bachrach
Anne is known as The Accountability Coach™. She has 23 years of experience training and coaching. Business owners and entrepreneurs who utilize Anne’s proven systems and processes work less, make more money and have a more balanced and successful life. Anne is the author of the books, Excuses Don’t Count; Results Rule!, and Live Life with No Regrets; How the Choices We Make Impact Our Lives, No Excuses!, and The Work Life Balance Emergency Kit.
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