You probably often ask yourself what you could be doing to make your life more manageable and better balanced. You want to improve your skills and try new things, but you also want to have a good work-life balance and a set routine. All of this comes with practice and from effective goal-setting and prioritization. Nobody finds that work-life balance permanently since demands on our time will always change.
The trick is to continuously readjust our priorities and tweak our organizational strategies to manage different stressors that present themselves. Some things are beyond our control, and others we can manipulate to our advantage. Below are a few more tips to help you achieve better balance and organization in your daily life.
The key to being balanced and organized is to start with a plan. If there are skills missing from your repertoire that will stop you from succeeding in your current or future career, it could be the right time to go back to school. For example, you might believe that getting an IT degree will help you get those technical skills that you didn't pick up in high school or on your own. Make a plan for whatever you want to accomplish: How long will it take? What supplies are needed? Will it be a big investment on your time or wallet? Update your skill set, make a plan, and organize your life around it.
People who have established themselves may still find it difficult to get ahead. They may have all the education they need, and still have personal challenges that aren't educational in nature. For example, they may be living in the wrong location and cannot locate an employer where they will grow and advance with their qualifications and skills. This is a professional predicament that could be very frustrating, and they might have to think about relocation as a better option. They cannot blame a lack of opportunities for their non-advancement. They need to go out and grab opportunities where they exist. If you are doing something about reaching professional goals, then you will have a sense of purpose. Make the change happen. Be proactive in looking for solutions and reaching out when you need help.
There are two easy and cost-free ways to help yourself focus on your goals and how you will achieve them. The first way to focus is via personal reflection. You can learn how to do a simple meditation if you simply sit quietly and let your mind empty. If you incorporate one or more meditations into your daily routine, then you will be able to feel calmer and more focused on daily tasks.
The second is to make time to reward, congratulate and feel good about accomplishments. No matter how small, you should celebrate when you reach a goal, hit a milestone, or make a change. Too often we focus on what needs to be done and what needs to happen. Take time to appreciate how far you’ve come and feel good about your direction.
Once you feel prepared for professional situations with appropriate skills and educational credentials, you can really start to build experience in your chosen field. Daily meditation and yoga will help you to keep your calm and focused, to work through emotions or thoughts that are troubling you, and to feel at peace. You need to breathe deeply and to do things that will make you feel positive and balanced. If you don't make time to be alone with yourself and to process what is going on in your life, you could carry around much unnecessary stress, which could adversely impact your professional performance. Over long periods of time, too much stress will affect your health and might even shorten your life. In every aspect of life both professionally and personally, you will thrive if you are in balance.
Eileen O'Shanassy is a freelance writer and blogger based out of Flagstaff, AZ. She writes on a variety of topics and loves to research and write. She enjoys baking, biking, and kayaking. Check out her Twitter @eileenoshanassy.