Work-Life Harmony
There are many challenges facing men and women in achieving a sense of harmony between their work and life.
When is enough, enough? What is life all about? Is there any amount of success in work that can compensate for unhappiness at home? How do you achieve a sense of work-life harmony?
These are some of the questions asked in attempts to gain an appreciation of work-life harmony.
Here are four symptoms of dis-harmony:
1. Fatigue, reduced productivity and making mistakes
2. Missing important family events – your child’s first ball game
3. Friendships get neglected or abandoned due to the pressures of your work
4. The single riskiest symptom is setting unsustainable expectations – which leads to vicious never ending circles of stealing more time from you.
Nature, time and patience are the three great physicians according to an ancient Chinese proverb. When you have a sense of harmony in your life you will have time for work but also time for play.
Life work harmony is about a degree of synchronisation and accord rather than balance. Go for harmony over balance.
Possible Action Plans/Solutions to help achieve work life harmony:
- Learn to say ‘NO’. Saying no is not a selfish act. It can be the best thing to say for you and your family.
- Define clearly what is really important in your life.
- Only work on the important stuff.
- Be selfish about your personal/ private time. Make sure you build personal reflection time into your day and week.
- Plan recreation, breaks and holidays.
Live life to the full while keeping the sense of harmony and perspective.
Have you defined what is important in your life?
Are you responsible ‘selfish’ enough with your time? i.e. Do you say ‘NO’?
Have you achieved or are you attempting to achieve the correct balance between work and recreation?
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