Achieving an optimal work/life balance has become increasingly complex in today’s fast-paced, technology-driven world. As a certified master business coach based in Phoenix, I regularly work with driven executives and entrepreneurs who struggle to find fulfillment across every area of life.
The Elusive Work/Life Balance
What does work/life balance actually mean? For many, it is the ability to manage juggling between a successful career and personal responsibilities effectively. This includes dedicating sufficient time to relationships, health, hobbies, and other aspects of complete well-being.
Throughout my more than ten years of executive coaching experience, I have observed very few have been able to find the secret ingredient allowing them to balance their personal and professional lives perfectly. Work often infringes on time, leading to unnecessary stress and a lack of quality time with those we love. On the flip side, sometimes people become so wrapped up in family responsibilities their career suffers as a result.
Common Struggles Faced by Phoenix Professionals
Working with business leaders and working professionals across the Valley, I have noticed a few prevalent struggles hindering work/life balance:
- Difficult to Unplug – It has become increasingly challenging to walk away from work, from the worry you’ll miss a critical call to the fact you can work anytime, anywhere, thanks to smartphones, laptops, and Wi-Fi.
- Inability to manage time effectively – Phoenix professionals have hectic schedules, with their days taken up by a series of meetings, emails, planning sessions, and executing strategies they have devised. The absence of efficient time management skills can make it much harder to control their schedules, leaving them at the mercy of someone else’s request or a lack of foresight when it comes to how their daily agenda is planned; this, in turn, serves to compromise the possibility of finding some personal time.
- Unclear Priorities – When personal and professional priorities are misaligned or ill-defined, days become filled with non-essential tasks. Life can feel out of control. Understanding what is most important at work and home helps guide better decision-making regarding how to spend time.
- Lack of Self-Care – Getting ahead in life means being at your physical and cognitive best, and this means practicing self-care strategies that make sense for you. The problem nowadays is nobody seems to be getting enough sleep, eating right, exercising, or finding ways to relax and rejuvenate those tired old brain cells. It’s a surefire recipe for burnout and ill-health.
Actionable Ways to Improve Work/Life Balance
As a collaborator certified in master coaching with a Ph.D. in effectiveness, I support individuals in developing bespoke strategies for themselves in order to improve their performance. Nevertheless, there are three practical steps professionals in Phoenix can immediately take, which are derived from protocoled coaching.
- Establish Your Top Priorities – Invest the necessary attention to ensure you recognize what is the most vital in your personal and professional life. Draft it down in a short list of “top 5 most important things” which will help you maintain your main focus in every single day. Remember to track back to this list when you are about to try to get more work done or before you make an essential decision to make sure every move is the right one.
- Schedule Focus Blocks – Look at your typical calendar and block off chunks of time dedicated solely to the top priorities identified. Guard these with utmost discipline by silencing phone notifications and shutting down email. Treat this time as sacred for making progress on meaningful work and personal endeavors.
- Establish Firm Boundaries – Prevent work creep into personal life by setting firm policies on after-hours availability, vacation time, and weekend work. Likewise, ensure you show up entirely focused during working hours by limiting personal appointments and obligations. Say no more freely to additional responsibilities that don’t align with priorities.
Reconditioning behaviors and mindsets takes time, but applying even small steps consistently creates tremendous positive momentum. As your certified master business coach, I can help tailor a structured approach for your unique situation to help you start living a more balanced life. Reach out anytime to get started!
