When my coaching clients create their personal vision for the life they want to lead, none of them include working an exhausting number of hours.

I usually see themes of having fulfilling careers that are well balanced with other aspects of their lives.

I don’t think anyone WANTS to be a corporate slave, sacrificing time with family and friends, not having time to relax, exercise, volunteer, or do other things we enjoy.

So, why do we put the needs of our employers over our own needs? 

If you’re feeling overworked, here are a few strategies that worked for me to improve my work-life balance.

Negotiate Your Priorities

Talk with your manager about the work on your plate, especially when your manager adds more assignments. Ask, “how would you like me to prioritize that?” and list out the other things you’re doing.  Or, better yet, suggest your priorities, such as “I’m working on X, Y, Z right now, but I think I need to put this new assignment first and put Z on the back burner or find someone to help.”  This opens up a professional conversation about reducing or rescoping your workload rather than overcommitting and becoming overwhelmed.

 

Get Real About Quality

You don’t need to do A+ work on everything.  Identify the work where quality is critical and put your best effort into that work.  And figure out which assignments only need a “passing grade” and allocate your time accordingly.  If you’re a perfectionist, this is easier said than done.  A couple of ways to manage your perfectionism are setting a time limit for completing the work and asking yourself if anyone else will notice all the minor details about which you’re obsessing.

 

Take Breaks

Step away from your work every couple of hours to give yourself a physical and mental break.  Go for a walk, listen to music or do something to take your mind off of work.  When you return, you’ll find that you have more energy and creativity.  Taking breaks helps to improve efficiency and accuracy.  Some of you might be thinking, “I don’t have time for breaks. I’m scheduled in back-to-back meetings all day!”  Well, it’s time to OWN YOUR CALENDAR!  Take a few minutes RIGHT NOW to block time on your calendar for breaks!  Set up recurring meetings for yourself, and don’t schedule over those meetings.  If you need to flex the break times a little for another important meeting, make sure you reschedule your break.

Doing good work makes us all feel good, valued, and essential.  But don’t miss out on life over a sense of obligation to be a superhero at work.

My challenge to you this week is to PRIORITIZE YOURSELF!

Wishing you the best!