Work/life balanceThe hot topic of conversation at a meeting of the Halton-Peel Communications Association last week was work/life balance. HPCA members are all entrepreneurs who presumably have a little more control over our lives than those in the corporate world, which is key. Yet it seems we find achieving that balance just as elusive as our corporate counterparts.

Speaker Grace Attard, founder of the e-Spot and enSpire coaching, says it all comes down to time. Are we setting aside time to do the things that are important? Are there aspects of what we do that don’t bring us joy (and if so, why are we doing them?)? Are we honouring and paying attention to our values? She suggested asking ourselves how we measure our time, and if it is effective, in 11 areas:

  1. Discipline (for example, using a checklist to stay on task, scheduling breaks)
  2. Fun & Play (spending time with family, seeing friends, laughing)
  3. Financial Relationship (a strategy to pay off debt, multiple sources of income)
  4. Sales Process (how many new clients you need to meet your financial goals, how many people you must meet to gain new clients)
  5. Operations (systems that support your life such as billing, maintenance, keeping on top of clutter)
  6. Home Habits/Routines (starting work at a particular time, having breakfast every day)
  7. Personal & Professional Growth (setting time aside to stay current, indulge your interests)
  8. Health (nutrition, physical activity, stress management)
  9. New Business Development (having a strategy, measuring what you do)
  10. Team Relationships (how good are your relationships with friends, mentors, volunteers, family)
  11. Values & Beliefs (are you taking on ‘should’ vs. ‘want to’ tasks, community involvement).

“Once you have awareness, you can put the strategies in place to change where you spend your time,” Grace advised. “The key is to be present in your own life. Set the boundaries that serve you.”

Do you have balance in your life? What makes the difference for you? For me, it’s working in a home office and not having a commute to be at a certain place at a certain time.

Image: Danilo Rizzuti and FreeDigitalPhotos.net.