Part 4: Stirring It Up and Making It Happen!
Last week YOU identified the value of Work – Family Balance for YOU! Figuring out why it might work for the mom sitting next to you at the PTA meeting or the mom sitting in the office next door, might be interesting, but probably won’t get you results in your own life.
Work – Family balance is created when:
• We are able to be present in our lives at work and at home, and not overly distracted.
• We have a healthy body and clear mind that is able to be efficient as opposed to overwhelmed.
• We have a support system and nurturing relationships with the people in our lives.
• We know ourselves.
Today we are going to figure out your unique recipe for Work – Family Balance:
THINKING THAT BENEFITS YOU AT WORK AND AT HOME
MOVEMENT THAT LIGHTS A FIRE UNDER YOUR PURPOSES AND GOALS
CONNECTING THAT BRINGS YOU CLOSER TO FAMILY, FRIENDS AND CO-WORKERS
A DASH OF – HOW HUNGRY ARE YOU?
A SPRINKLE OF YOUR SECRET INGREDIENT
And voila! You have a gourmet dish made just for you.
For this section, you probably want to have a pen and paper. After all, you will be creating your own recipe. Isn’t this exciting?
And the best part is that you can do this again in 3 months if you feel like you are losing that balance you worked so hard to create. This tool is an evergreen.
Let’s start cooking!
THINKING THAT BENEFITS YOU AT WORK AND AT HOME
If you have read through parts 1 through 3 of this series, you have had the opportunity to identify times that you allow yourself to slow down and think.
1. What have you learned about your ability to take time (even moments!) to think?
2. When are you able to take this time?
3. What do you need to do today to get more time to think and be present?
4. What is the value of taking this time for you, your family and your productivity at work?
5. Take some time to complete this sentence:
I am able to take time to think and be present, when I___________ and I can create more time for myself by ___________. The benefits to ME of thinking more, are huge! It shows up in many ways including; _____________ and _____________.
I can take the following actions to create more time to think at work and with my family:
(that’s your first ingredient)
MOVEMENT THAT LIGHTS A FIRE UNDER PURPOSES AND GOALS
If you have read through parts 1 through 3 of this series, you have been moving more, right? And (for all you over achievers out there) this doesn’t have to be running a 5K! Remember, baby steps.
1. What have you learned about your willingness and ability to move (even a teeny tiny bit!) more?
2. When were you able to implement more physical movement in your life?
3. No matter what has happened in the past, what will you do today to get moving?
4. How does physical movement help you at home with your family and at work?
5. Take some time to complete this sentence:
I am able to include more movement in my life when I ___________ and I have made small changes by __________. The benefits to ME of moving more are huge! It shows up in many ways including; __________ and __________.
I can take the following actions to create more physical movement in my life, at work and with my family:
(that’s your second ingredient – getting hungry?)
CONNECTING THAT BRINGS YOU CLOSER TO FAMILY, FRIENDS AND CO-WORKERS
O.k., I know you have been connecting more. I can feel it. You are connecting to yourself and to the vision you have of work – family balance.
So what have you learned about connection?
1. Who did you connect with? Someone new? A deeper connection with an old friend?
2. What can you do right now to connect with someone?
3. How does strengthening your ability to connect, help you at home with your family, and at work?
4. Take some time to complete this sentence:
I am able to connect with people easily when I __________ and I have made small changes by __________. The benefits to ME of connecting more are numerous! It shows up in many ways including; ___________ and ___________.
I can take the following actions to connect more with others and myself:
(that’s your third ingredient – my tummy is rumbling!)
HOW HUNGRY ARE YOU?
What is the value of work – family balance for you personally?
1. How will your life be better if you have more time to think and be present?
2. How will moving more positively affect your work and family life?
3. How will making connections with others open opportunities at work and at home?
4. Take some time to complete these sentences:
When I have time to be present with my family and at work, I am able to ___________ and I experience _____________. When I take time to include physical movement in my life, I notice that it is easier for me to ___________ and I see a real difference in my experience of _________.
When I make connections with people at home and at work, I enjoy more __________ and I notice that the people in my life are ____________. The benefits to ME of taking time to think, move and connect are: ________________.
When I take the following actions to create more presence, movement and connection in my life, I will benefit at work and with my family in the following ways:
(that’s your fourth ingredient – It’s almost dinner!)
YOUR SECRET INGREDIENT
Only you know what this is.
1. What do you know has to change for you to have work – family balance?
2. What small change could you make that would make a difference?
3. What have you learned about yourself that surprised you?
4. What have you known all along, but now see more clearly?
I know that if I did ___________ I would have more work – family balance. I also know that when I am able to be ___________ I experience more work – family balance. The most important reason to create more work – family balance is ______________.
I know that if I take this one action, I will begin to see results in my experience of work – family balance:
(that’s your secret ingredient)
Congratulations! You created your own recipe for work – family balance – now it is time to go out there and cook it up!
Next week we will take a look at how your recipe is turning out, make any small tweaks needed, celebrate success and build on your learning.
In the meantime, write your ingredients down on a small piece of paper and tuck it in your wallet, post it on your mirror or create a recipe doc on your desktop.
It is more important to try your recipe than to have it turn out “right.”
Good luck and enjoy your week of experimentation!
Coaching is about empowering the client to identify her own answers and take tangible actions to move forward. If you would like to learn more, why not schedule your complimentary 30 minute phone session with me today? I can be reached at jamee@jameetenzer.com
Other articles in this series:
5 Essential Tools Make Work Family Balance Easy: A 5 Part Series
Discover Your Work-Family Balance Secrets TODAY!