During busy periods, many professionals struggle to make time for themselves. Work-life balance is poor: it's what they feel or hear others complain about. "Busy Busy" is a common response to colleagues' inquiries. And somehow, it is very challenging to get out of this cycle.
Occasionally, some quiet period follows, such as holidays or days off, and for some it is difficult to even remember how stressful it was before. Saying no suddenly seems easier, so leaving the desk for a short walk.
You might know the well-known Zen proverb: “If you don’t have time to meditate for an hour every day, you should meditate for two hours.” Taking breaks and encouraging your team members to do the same is even more important during busy times.
So, what do you do to promote healthy routines when our agendas are filling up again?
Identify the signals
Do you know when you are doing too much? How does it feel? What signals does your body give you? Headaches, concentration problems, are you becoming impatient with colleagues or clients? How well do you know your team members' signals? Knowing the signs is the first step.
Make it attractive
When you know the signals, what are attractive routines to help you address the signals? What do you need to take a break from, or communicate your boundaries? Maybe a little dance behind your desk, vent over coffee, play table tennis with a colleague? Whatever you or your team members need to ‘break’ from doing too much, talk about it and do it. It might even improve performance.
Discuss work-life balance
Communicate openly and supportively with your colleagues so that they feel comfortable discussing their concerns and challenges regarding work-life balance. This will allow them to identify solutions to alleviate their stress.
Healthy work-life balance is essential to long-term success both professionally and personally. A leader can help their team achieve a healthy work-life balance by prioritizing their well-being and creating a supportive environment that values their personal lives.
Do you want to learn how to have this kind of conversation with your team members? Check out our Leadership & People Management course. To make this course effective and interactive, we have limited seats available. More information here.
