Get a Work / Life Balance on Projects - II

Tip 1: One a Week
What do you have a passion for? Is it arts, sciences, sport or something wacky? Whatever it is, try and move heaven and earth to make it happen once a week, every week. Tell yourself: this is the one time in the week where it’s ‘MY TIME’’ - then stick to it. You’ll find it incredibly rewarding. In fact, you’ll start looking forward to that activity each week, because you know you’ll have fun doing it.

Tip 2: One a Day
In addition to the “one a week” activity above, kick off a “one-a-day” as well. Make it something small, to ensure you find the time to do it. It could be “spending 10 minutes reading a magazine”, “going for a walk around the block” or “calling a friend”. As long as it’s enjoyable, then make it a regular time in your daily schedule. This is the hardest tip of them all to keep to, but the most beneficial in the long run. If you’re serious about your work / life balance, then you will be able to find 10-15 minutes in the day (every day) to do this. Oh—remember to make it fun!

Tip 3: Find a Peer
Nothing beats having a peer to do this with you. Find someone who wants to get the same out of life. Open up to them and tell them what you want to achieve. Then work together to motivate each other to achieve the personal goals you set. Meet bi-weekly, to talk about what you’ve struggled with and what you’ve achieved. Then advise each other on what can be done to improve. Peers can provide the support needed to make a real difference in someone's life. So choose your peer wisely and work together to achieve your joint goals.

Tip 4: Rewards
While peers can motivate you, true motivation comes from within. So to help you meet your goals, set yourself a reward for achieving them. The reward doesn’t need to cost a lot, for instance, it might be “taking 2 days off work to share with my family”. The most important thing is that it reward is something that means a lot to you and is worth fighting for.

Tip 5: Feeling Proud
If you can achieve your goals or even get half way there, then feel proud about having done it! We know that it takes a lot of effort to make a change in your life. So feel proud about what you’ve achieved. This sense of pride will show in your work and your personal life. And guess what? You’ll have gained new enjoyment from life, so it has to be good!