In the end, it's not the years in
your life that count. It's the life in your years. – Abraham Lincoln
Architect
Frank Lloyd Wright once told of an incident that may have seemed insignificant
at the time, but had a profound influence on the rest of his life. The winter
he was 9, he went walking across a snow-covered field with his reserved,
no-nonsense uncle. As the two of them reached the far end of the field, his
uncle stopped him. He pointed out his own tracks in the snow, straight and true
as an arrow's flight, and then young Frank's tracks meandering all over the
field.
"Notice
how your tracks wander aimlessly from the fence to the cattle to the woods and
back again," his uncle said. "And see how my tracks aim directly to
my goal. There is an important lesson in that."
Years later
the world-famous architect liked to tell how this experience had greatly
contributed to his philosophy in life.
"I determined right then," he'd say with a twinkle in his eye,
"not to miss most things in life, as my uncle had."
Many people
often miss the most important things in life because they fail at this
essential skill as a leader- work/life balance. It’s a struggle for many
leaders. Could it be yours?
In research
conducted by EY (http://bit.ly/1QjTJZ8) it was reported that, “33% of
full-time employees globally say it has gotten more difficult to manage
work/family in the last five years. The most common reasons cited 49% “my
salary has not increased much, but my expenses have” and 48% “my
responsibilities at work have increased.” Sound familiar?
Having a
good work/life balance is essential to your success. As a leader you are not
immune from the challenge. In fact, it may be more problematic for you. So what
is the solution? Here are a few tips to help you recapture some of that much
needed balance.
Begin with your priorities
Almost every
article I read on work/life balance begins with work. It goes without saying
that work is important. But how would things be different for you if you looked
at it from the viewpoint of a life/work balance? If the priorities of your life
are not in order then how can work? Get life’s priorities in order first then
you can take care of the rest.
Discover your ‘why’
I’m a firm
believer that you should do what you love and love what you do. When you do,
it’s not work but your passion. Understanding your ‘why’ is essential to you as
a leader. John Maxwell framed it this way, “People who know their why can keep their heads while
everything around them is in turmoil. And that draws others to them.” Life and
work makes sense when you know why you are here.
Get flexible with schedules
Fortunately,
many companies are seeing the benefit of flexible work schedules which allows
for greater productivity, greater teamwork, and happier employees, etc. (http://huff.to/1SxzdV1). Creating a work/life balance does
not have to be an either/or proposition where one is good and the other is not.
Smart leaders can create a culture where both can thrive.
Define your borders
As a leader
many things compete for your time and attention. If not careful you can get
caught up in solving problems that are not yours to solve, involved in details
that easily can be handled by someone else, and otherwise distracted from
having the work/life balance you desire. This is an area in which you will need
to stand firm. Define your borders and stick to it.
Get real about relationships
People are
your greatest appreciable asset. Building strong relationships is the key to
your growth as a leader and to the success of your organization. But
surrounding yourself with the right
people is more important than surrounding yourself with a lot of people. So
here are some questions you need to answer: Are those closest to you adding
value or subtracting? Do those closest to you share your vision and values and
see the big picture or are they in it for themselves? Relationships are key to
your work/life balance. If you are surrounded by the wrong people then it’s
time to prune.
Lighten up
Ella Wheeler
said, “Laugh, and the world laughs with you; weep, and you weep alone".
Creating a good work/life balance can be just one laugh away. It’s important to
take your work seriously, but not yourself. Laugh. Lighten up. Learn to take
things in stride. Don’t be wound up so tight that you can’t enjoy a light
moment now and then.
Your
work/life balance begins with these simple steps. Are you ready for some
balance in your life?
© 2016 Doug
Dickerson
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