| When you hear the word balance, what comes to | | | | years ago that we did not have the "luxury" of cell |
| mind? If you are a business owner, bookkeeper, | | | | phones available to us. And we still managed to have |
| accountant, etc. most likely it is balancing the books, | | | | successful business and give good customer service. |
| your checkbook, your workload, your inventory, or | | | | Turn away from the computer and turn off the |
| some other work related task. And the word ratio, | | | | television. Go read a book or exercise or meditate or |
| brings to mind key indexes, assets vs liabilities, sales vs | | | | do any other relaxing activity that is fun for you. Your |
| expenses, returns on investments and all those other | | | | emails and the news will be there when you get back. |
| ways of measuring how well a business is operating. | | | | If your job mandates you to take work home, budget |
| But I bet the very last thought that enters your brain, if | | | | your time for it. We tell our kids to assign time for |
| it even makes it there at all, is the ratio that measures | | | | homework and find a place where they won't be |
| your life balance. How much of your time is spent in | | | | interrupted by family goings on, tv, phone calls, etc. and |
| having fun vs work. And I will admit when you are a | | | | and stick to it. We should take some of our own |
| business owner fun can be defined as running your | | | | advice. If you are spending more than two hours a |
| business. After all there is a certain intensity, | | | | night Monday through Thursday on work brought |
| excitement and pleasure in developing a new idea or | | | | home from the office, you need to find a solution to |
| product and succeeding at bringing it to market. | | | | cut back. I know its hard in this economic crisis to |
| 24 hour day - 8 hours of sleep x 7 / Weekly Fun Time | | | | justify to your boss that you need either help or less |
| = Life Balance Ratio | | | | work but are you wasting time at the office with |
| But if you are one of those people who can't go | | | | unnecessary meetings, long lunches, dealing with non- |
| anywhere without your cell phone, laptop, business | | | | work related emails, searching the web, etc that if |
| cards and being on the look out for new opportunities | | | | eliminated could free up some of the work you are |
| 24-7 then it is my belief you are not only losing a great | | | | bringing home. Work when you are at work, save your |
| deal of enjoyment in your life but you may also be | | | | personal tasks and fun stuff for non-work hours. And |
| hurting your chances of being successful. The buzz | | | | if you still need to bring home work, set a time and |
| word in the business world has and continues to be | | | | place to do it, informing your family that you need to |
| NETWORK. And while networking is not only | | | | have a quiet, uninterrupted hour or two and when you |
| important but essential in today's business world it | | | | are done you are all theirs. |
| does not need to occupy every second of your | | | | Weekends if at all possible should be work free. It is |
| waking time. | | | | hard enough to take care of all the responsibilities that |
| And so bring on the BALANCE in your life. The result | | | | a home and family encompasses without adding on |
| will be a more relaxed, less stressed and healthy you. | | | | work related tasks. There is cleaning, shopping, getting |
| Which will result in you being better at your job, more | | | | kids to games and other activities, mowing the lawn, |
| creative in your goal attainments, and allow you to be | | | | and all the other stuff that comes with being an adult. If |
| more productive when you are working. | | | | you are working as well when do you have any "fun" |
| So how do you find the time to put balance back into | | | | time? Get the errands, cleaning and other chores done |
| your life? Start small, it is small changes that lead to big | | | | on Saturday if possible and turn Sunday into a day of |
| successes. Instead of eating at your desk, go for a | | | | pleasure, whatever that pleasure might be. Some quiet |
| walk. It might only be a 5 or ten minute walk but even | | | | time for yourself and your family, time to regenerate |
| that small amount of time can refresh you and clear | | | | from the hectic rat race, time to get to know what has |
| your mind. Take you lunch with you and sit outside | | | | been happening in your family's life, time to talk, time to |
| enjoying nature if you can. | | | | have fun. Don't fill up your Sundays with parties, tourist |
| And leave the cell phone behind! Believe me it is not | | | | activities, sports (unless that means a good game on |
| the end of the world if you let a call or two go to | | | | the lawn with the kids). The key word is RELAX. The |
| voice mail. And from personal experience I don't enjoy | | | | goal is to enjoy and spend time with your family or |
| talking to a person who is inline at the supermarket or | | | | friends talking and enjoying each other, not to run |
| walking down the street. And I will bet your clients will | | | | around doing "things". But most important is you |
| rather wait for a call back then trying to talk over the | | | | choosing to take time away from work and work |
| noise and interruptions. After all it wasn't so many | | | | related issues. |