Does your work week feel like it never ends? Does one work week feel like it blends into the next? Can you remember the last time you felt fulfilled from both your job and the areas outside of your work?
All of these questions are common when you are struggling to maintain motivation at work and feel like you are also taking an active role in your home life. You might feel at times that your energy is tapped, and you do not have enough to go around; between work responsibilities, family concerns, and taking care of your personal needs. As a result, you might start to feel unsatisfied, anxious, depressed, or just generally unhappy at your job and at home.
The concept of having a balance between your work and the various other aspects of your life is a frequent area of discussion when talking about work stress and career burnout. Finding a “balance” between your work life and your family, friends, and other personal interests can be a challenge for any working professional. When you are tired, and emotionally/physically exhausted the last thing you are thinking about is balance. So how do you know when you have reached a point of imbalance between your work and personal life?
You feel like you are going through the motions in both work and life.
The joy is not there whether it is when you are talking to a colleague, or with a loved one. You find your mind wandering and wishing you were somewhere else, unable to focus on the current topic. Previously, work, family, and friends brought your life excitement and joy. Now either work or personal relationships feel taxing, exhausting, and uninspired.
You feel like your performance has suffered at work, at home, or both
You feel like you are unable to get ahead at work or at home. Each part of your life has a never-ending to-do list that keeps evolving, multiplying, and shifting. You want to be able to be present, prepared, and competent in these areas of your life, but recently you feel as if your performance has not been up to your usual standards.
Work life balance is different for everyone
Finding what works for you, your family, and your job is an individual process and will look different for everyone. You have unique skills, interests, and dynamics in your life that are personal to you and might look different from your co-workers or family members. When thinking about your work life balance ask yourself what areas of your life are important to you, make you happy, and enhance your life.
Adapt what your work life balance looks like.
Shifting your work life balance as your career and family life change is critical. From the beginning of your career to now, both you and the workplace are every changing. Acknowledging that your work and personal needs are going to change is an important part of being able to readjust the balance in multiple areas of your life.
Finding your work life balance is a process
It will take time to find a balance in your life that works for you both at work and at home. Your ideal version of balance may not be achievable at this moment nor be exactly what you envisioned, and that is okay. You are taking the time to recalibrate your life and find a happier medium that allows you to enrich your life in multiple areas.
You deserve to be happy in both work and your personal life. Times can be stressful and overwhelming, but not being satisfied with your work or career does not have to be the new normal. If you want to reorient the balance in your life or find our what career dynamics can work best for you, call us today for a free 15 minute consult around career counseling.