Achieving work/life balance is possible!

Everyone is busy these days. We get up in the morning and hit the ground running; never stopping, it seems, until we collapse at the end of the day. The pressures of getting ahead at work and being present for our families can be overwhelming. All too often our work life invades, and sometimes takes over, our personal time.
All this non-stop action doesn't really get us ahead. Living this way usually results in nothing more that greater stress, more family tension and serious health problems. So, what is a multi-tasking professional to do?
Balancing work and life is possible. It may take a little work, but the benefits are well worth it. Here are some tips to get you on the way to a more balanced existence.
Make A Plan
What does success mean to you? How would you measure happiness? Answering these seemingly esoteric questions are central to creating a life you’ll find worth living. Craig Simmons, Director of the health and wellness program at Nestle Inc., suggests seriously thinking about what your real goals are and actually writing out a game plan to achieve them. “When you know what you want to do and have an idea how to get there, you can stop running around in circles and wasting time with things that eat up your time and energy,” he said.
Eliminate other time-wasters such as watching television or spending too many hours on the internet. Try going to bed a half hour earlier and getting up a half hour earlier. When was the last time you actually sat down and enjoyed a morning cup of coffee in your own kitchen on a weekday? If you can’t remember, it might be time to give it a try.

Schedule A Meeting…With Yourself
Our days tend to be filled with meetings and appointments. You have to see your dentist at 10:00, meet with your boss at noon and talk with your kid’s homeroom teacher at 4:00. You wouldn’t skip out on any of these appointments. Try scheduling some time for yourself for a change.
Simmons says we should carve out time for ourselves and our relationships just like we do for staff meetings. “Respect your time,” says Simmons. “Making time for yourself to just slow down for an hour and tend to your own needs is amazingly beneficial.” We can contribute more to our jobs and our families if we can take care of ourselves first.

Learn to Accept Help
Realize that you are not in this all alone. Accepting help is not a sign of weakness, but an indication of resourcefulness and intelligence. Are there other parents at your kid’s school or at your job you get along with? Suggest trading child care responsibilities. “You babysit for them this Saturday night and they watch your kids next week,” Simmons suggests. Couples need time together to reconnect. By working together with another family, you can support each other and lessen everyone’s stress levels.

Achieving a good work to life relationship is a process, not a destination. Chances are, once you think you’ve got things figured out, something will come along to alter the delicate balance. That’s life. If you have a plan, respect your own time and develop helpful relationships with other people, those unexpected bumps along the way won’t throw you off course.