How to Recognize Compassion Fatigue

Nurses are particularly vulnerable to compassion fatigue in the specialty areas of intensive care, mental health, pediatrics, and oncology because they enter lives of others during times of critical illness becoming partners as opposed to observers in their patient's health. It is essential that nurses are aware of work stressors and warning signs of compassion fatigue so that work-life balance can be maintained.

Compassion fatigue is not the same as burnout, although they are related. Compassion fatigue is the profound emotional and physical exhaustion that develops over a course of time. It is the gradual erosion of all the things that keep us connected to each other as caregivers. When compassion fatigue begins to set in, we see changes in our personal and professional lives. We can become bitter at work; we may add to the toxic work environment; we are more prone to medical errors; and we may violate client boundaries. At home, we may become short-tempered with out loved ones and feel a sense of guilt or resentment at the ongoing demands on our personal time. This is the "cost of caring".

Burnout is the physical and emotional exhaustion that you experience when you have low job satisfaction and feel powerless and overwhelmed at work. Burnout does not mean that our view of the world has been damaged or that we have lost the ability to feel compassion for others. Individuals who are non-helping professionals experience work-related burnout. Burnout can be easily resolved by changing jobs that provides immediate relief. This is not the case for compassion fatigue.

To develop your warning scale, you must increase your awareness of your own symptoms of compassion fatigue. Do you have any of the following symptoms?

Physical Signs of Compassion Fatigue

• Physical exhaustion - feeling depleted not just tired
• Insomnia or hypersomnia
• Headaches and migraines
• Increased susceptibility to illness
• Somatization and hypochondria

Behavioral Signs and Symptoms

• Increased use of alcohol and drugs
• Other addictions (shopping, workaholic, compulsive eating)
• Absenteeism from work
• Anger and irritability (two key symptoms of compassion fatigue)
• Exaggerated sense of responsibility
• Avoidance of clients (not responding timely)
• Impaired ability to make decisions
• Forgetfulness
• Problems in personal relationships
• Attrition (quitting or taking extended time off)
• Compromised care for clients

Psychological Signs and Symptoms

• Emotional exhaustion (the hallmark of compassion fatigue)
• Distancing; avoiding friends and family
• Negative self-image
• Depression
• Reduced ability to feel sympathy and empathy
• Cynicism and embitterment (not supporting new ideas; eye-rolling at a new nurse)
• Resentment
• Dread of working with certain clients
• Feeling professional helplessness
• Diminished sense of enjoyment/career
• Depersonalization
• Heightened anxiety or irrational fears
• Increased sense of personal vulnerability
• Inability to tolerate strong feelings
• Problems with intimacy
• Hypervigilance
• Hypersensitivity (crying over simple things)
• Insensitive to emotional content
• Loss of hope
• Difficulty separating personal and professional lives
• Failure to nurture and develop non-work-related aspects of life

Make it Personal - What are YOUR warning signs? Take some time to answer the following questions.

1. What S/S stand out most for me?
2. What S/S do I bring home with me most often?
3. What S/S do I experience at work?
4. What do I have to lose if I don't deal with the effects of this "occupational hazard"?
5. What do I stand to gain if I move toward improved self-care?
6. Who will be the biggest supporters of my self-care?

https://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Recognize-Compassion-Fatigue&id=9677010

Is Life Balance A Myth?

What Is life balance?

Some will shun the concept of life balance claiming it is a myth. I believe that those who believe this may be referencing the old-school, more masculine definition of life balance. One that brings to mind a life of actions and a traditional two-part scale. A scale that is only balanced when both (two) sides (parts) are seen in equal measure. This perspective often references life balance according to the topic of work-life balance.

Others may understand life balance more like a bicycle ride, i.e., balance is achieved with constant movement. Knowing that the only way to move forward and maintain balance is to keep pedaling, i.e., to keep taking and action that creates balance. Without this constant doing, movement, the cyclist would lose balance - especially if they try to pedal anyway but straight, forward, in a linear fashion.

The perception of the cyclist is more akin to the way of a yinpreneur (yin-feminine), i.e., it does involve forward movement but not necessarily constant or linear. And not only in the doing (yang) type of movement.

YINpreneurs™ understand that forward movement is not always constant and linear and does not only show up in the doing. Often it is about the rituals and practices that help us move forward in both a human and spiritual way - sometimes obvious and measurable, other times subtle and energetic.

Seeking and Sustaining Balance

To liken it to the bicycle rider, the best rider will not only have skills that allow balance (yang, doing) but an inner belief or confidence and knowing (yin, intuition) which nurtures the doing and forward movement- balancing the being and the doing.

This way is aligned with the way of a yinpreneur in heart and mind. I invite you to understand life balance as a way of balancing your energy, intentions, and actions in various parts of your life and situations, that come to us as human beings (not human doings). Knowing that at any given moment in time, you may be called to a practice or ritual to bring a part of yourself, your life, back into balance.

With practice, you will have the clarity to know when you are feeling disconnected or out of balance. With this wisdom, you will be called to create rituals and practices to stay in awareness and sustain connection, balance, and alignment for longer periods of time, and possibly with greater power.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Is-Life-Balance-A-Myth?&id=9861109

Stresspensation: Evaluating the Impact of Stress in Career Decision Making

Brad was an incredibly bright young executive with a very promising future. Ever since graduating college, he seemed to take on increased responsibilities in his company like a duck to water. He married his college sweetheart, Nancy, right after graduation and has two small children. Brad's talent didn't go unnoticed in the industry, with several competitors approaching Brad about his willingness to join another firm. He steadfastly resisted, that is until the offer of all offers came his way.

ACME Corp, a larger and more prominent competitor to his current company, wined and dined Brad and ultimately offered him a VP position with a higher salary and better benefits. The offer was too good to pass up so Brad talked with Nancy about the job and they both became enamored with how this was going to advance Brad's career and what they would be able to do with the extra money. Brad joyfully accepted ACME's offer, gave his current company two weeks' notice, and started in his new VP role.

Within a year of joining ACME, he noticed some unexpected side effects of his new position. He was required to be in weekly global executive virtual meetings which could happen at any time of the day or night. He was routinely working 60+ hours a week, missing dinner with Nancy and the kids. He traveled at least once a week, many times to put out fires at clients. His eating habits were horrendous and he wasn't exercising due to his schedule. He began putting on weight. Nancy was frustrated with him not being around and his kids missed their daddy. The stress was unbearable and led to Brad one day grabbing his chest and collapsing during a customer meeting.

While the above story about Brad is fictional, each one of us knows of a Brad (or perhaps is Brad) who made a career choice without considering the effects of the extra stress. The American Institute of Stress (yes there is such an organization) has quantified the cost of stress to employers at $300 billion annually due to things such as absenteeism, accidents, turnover, diminished productivity, and medical costs. Add to that the personal costs of stress (i.e., poor health, weight gain/loss, sleep deprivation) and the relationship costs of stress (i.e., fractured relationships, friends or loved ones alienation, missed school plays), and you have a perfect storm of negative factors which make any kind of work-life balance virtually impossible to attain. In my 30 years of working with career professionals, stress typically takes a back seat to compensation and when considered, it is usually only a slice of the true stress level that the professional will endure. In the first ten years of my own career I saw stress as a given and gave it no consideration when evaluating career alternatives. This was a big mistake and a lesson I learned the hard way. Fortunately I learned it early in my career and was able to make some positive changes. However, some professionals never get it.

To help the professional evaluate the impact of stress when deciding on a career change, I've defined a comparative increase/decrease method to evaluate the impact of stress, based on three stress types:

(a) Relationship Stress

(b) Work Stress

(c) Personal Stress

For each stress type, a qualitative degree of stress is defined as follows:

1 - Minimal Stress

2 - Moderate Stress

3 - Significant Stress

In evaluating the impact of stress, each of the three stress types is assigned a value for the current and new job alternatives, then a comparative increase/decrease assessment is derived for each stress type. Let's put this to an example.

Lets say that a systems analyst (I'll call her Ann) is currently in a job paying $90,000/year and she's been offered a new position paying $100,000/year. On the surface, Ann likes the idea of a $10k raise and looks at the three stress types for each job, as follows:

Current Position

1. Relationship stress = 2 due to infrequent evening meetings only.
2. Personal stress = 1 due to ability to keep up with personal interests without sacrifice
3. Work stress = 2 due to some tight deadlines

New Position

1. Relationship stress = 3 due to evening meetings and four international trips/year to work with offshore developers
2. Personal stress = 2 due to having to alter exercise schedule, and having to drop book club
3. Work stress = 3 due to mission critical deadlines and regular status updates to senior management

When you look at the three stress types the following pops out about the new position:

Stress Type    Current Position    New Position    Increase/Decrease

Relationship      2                   3                Increase

Personal          1                   2                Increase

Work              2                   3                Increase

Ann is now faced with the following decision: Is the salary bump of $10k worth the incremental relationship, personal and work stress she'll endure? Depending on whatever other decision criteria Ann factors into her decision, the answer could be yes or no. Whether or not she takes the job is still her decision; what the process has done is forced her to consider the three stress types and derive data points in which she can use in her overall decision-making.

There are a number of important considerations for you to digest in using this methodology:

First, this is not an autonomic decision-making tool where the numeric answer is the sole job determinant. The impact of stress methodology is meant to bring relationship, personal, and work stress factors to the forefront of your decision making process.

Second, you need to be realistic about stress levels. "Wishing down" a stress level doesn't make it go away; it just sets you up for a letdown (or worse) after you've made your decision.

Third, you need to let your friends and loved ones come up with the relationship stress value and not assume a value for them. The real benefit in the methodology is the thought process and discussions you have along the way. Don't shortcut how your stress type values are determined or you'll miss out on some valuable nuggets.

Fourth, the methodology applies to any type of career change which involves new or different responsibilities, including promotions. Most of us are wired to blindly accept promotions without regard for the additional stress which may accompany the promotion.

Fifth, there will likely be stress in any job change; make sure you look at your steady-state stress level versus the "learning curve" stress level.

Your Go-Dos

When faced with your next career decision, follow these five steps to assess your impact of stress and help you decide on your career choice course of action:

1. Ask a lot of questions about the job and the degree of relationship, personal and work stress entailed in the job. Seek out others who may have done the job before or others who have some inside perspective.
2. Look at the job responsibilities (both stated and those you derive through interviews) and determine how much stress each of the responsibilities will create for you. Decide on a 1-3 work stress value.
3. Write down the personal activities and goals you have (i.e. exercise 4x/week, sleep at least 7 hours a night) and determine how the career choice would impact each of the activities and goals. Decide on a 1-3 personal stress value.
4. Openly discuss with your friends and loved ones what the career choice would mean in terms of impact to relationship time (i.e. not being home for dinner, availability to help with homework) and ask them to decide on a 1-3 relationship stress value.
5. Derive the increase/decrease in stress for each of the three stress types.
6. Decide how you're going to factor the impact of stress into your overall decision.

Remember, the real benefit in utilizing the impact of stress methodology is in the discovery process you'll go through to understand relationship, personal, and work stress drivers for different career choices. Be real with yourself as to how a career choice will affect you and those you love.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Stresspensation:-Evaluating-the-Impact-of-Stress-in-Career-Decision-Making&id=9359733

Is Your Success Draining Your Happiness? (By Lisa Burbage)

I am a health coach, not a business coach, but in the process of working with people to help them achieve whole-person wellbeing, I've learned the importance of knowing clients' personal and professional goals - especially at times of transition in their lives. Looking at work-life balance, financial goals and personal growth is an important part in helping people succeed in improving their health.

Most of them want success more than anything else in their life. And will work very hard to get it. However, once they achieve the goal, sustaining it usually is even more challenging. Why is this?

Oftentimes, once someone succeeds or has great privileges, their focus shifts. Rather than continuing to work on the goal, one indulges in the benefits. This, unfortunately, hinders further growth and continued happiness.

Take exercise for instance with a client. She typically can achieve an exercise program five times a week for few months, but then life gets busy and she quits. She can no longer find the time. That certainly is not the way to go about losing weight. And she is discouraged that brisk walking for 30 minutes burns only 100 calories. She decides the effort is not worth the gain on a long-term basis even though it initially increased her energy and helped make her feel better about herself. Or she may decide that the pressure she puts on herself to maintain success is too stressful. The effort seems to be more like punishment than enjoyment.

Lasting success comes from consistency. When you are consistently aware of your "why," you will continue to be motivated to maintain then further your success. You will say "no" to all temptations and distractions no matter how enticing they may be. Your "life vision" becomes far more important than a short-lived gratification. It's like eating ice cream even though you know it's not good for you. Yet you eat it anyway because you think it will ease your stress or help you get over a tiring day at work. It's a sad irony.

Success versus Achievement

There is a subtle difference between success and achievement. Success is a feeling you have about how you are doing at something and why you are doing it. Achievement is a positive, objective measure about what you have accomplished.

Success is more important than achievement. You can win an award and yet still not "feel" successful. I was a top producer as a real estate agent. I received all the trimmings for my success. But inwardly I did not feel successful. I lost the "why" regarding my life vision. Now I'm fulfilled in my work. And you can be too!

Another example: Your doctor says you must lose 15-25 pounds for your health. (Note: Obesity is the second largest contributor behind tobacco use to developing chronic diseases so prevalent today, including diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer's and autoimmune deficiency). Your health-care provider might say it's important to lose weight, but it really doesn't sink in if you don't understand why. So find your "why," and allow it to help you work towards success. Once there, remember what it took to reach the goal and never back away.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Is-Your-Success-Draining-Your-Happiness?&id=9743781

A 'Life' at Work? Here Is What You Need to Know About Work-Life Balance (By Suzie Doscher)

In the past it was always that there is life, and then there is work.

Somehow in recent decades it seems they can be so intertwined that you 'live to work' rather than the other way around and 'work to have a life'.

The term 'Work-Life Balance' seems to be all over the place now and usually closely related to preventing 'Burnout'. As a professional coach focusing on personal development I have been lucky to work with many millennials. (Apparently these younger generations X & Y, are now all mixed together and make up 'Generation Stress'!)

What I have learned from these young, motivated and focused young individuals is:

• Not only is it important to them to achieve their goals, work/life balance HAS to be in the mix. A good life means quality of life both at home and at work. This is what they strive for and frequently the goal in our coaching.

Work-Life Balance An Essential Ingredient to Success

My younger clients are inspiring and fun to work with. I value being by their side supporting and witnessing their growth as they strive to reach professional goals and enjoy their life at the same time.

The fact that these younger generations reach out to seek professional help and support impresses me. The thought to ask for help never would have occurred to me when I was their age - I believed I had to handle everything myself!

Younger generations can have an ingrained emotional intelligence. Asking for feedback - constructive feedback is not regarded as a weakness but rather a strength. Older generations can struggle with overcoming this feeling and expectation of "I should be able to... without asking for help or support".

Looking to Understand and Achieve Work-Life Balance?

Here is what you do:

• Examine what feeling balanced means to YOU.
• Know your core values - create your life based on what is important to YOU.
• Acquire the skills necessary to cope with and handle difficult situations.
• Time management to make sure you know how to plan and create a REALISTIC schedule.
• Priorities - know how to prioritize in the moment. If in a difficult moment and needing to take a few minutes to get a clearer picture, then buy yourself some time to do so.
• Stress management - skills to help you 'put fires out' and 'talk yourself off the ledge' when the pressure is high and you are feeling stressed.
• Health management - get to know your body. Learn to respect good eating habits and what foods offer you energy rather than drain you.
• Exercise - find out what gives you pleasure, challenges and energizes you.
• Motivation to achieve a healthy and realistic work-life balance. Without motivation, you will find it difficult to succeed. You might reach certain goals but it is possible you will keep going in circles. Make sure you know what you have to gain and what you have to lose.

Here is what you need to know:

• It will require patience to change certain behaviours. Everybody has self-sabotage routines. With patience you can unravel these and replace them with healthier ones.
• Just like in sports 'practice makes perfect'
• Reward yourself with a compliment when you achieve a benchmark or goal. Your brain likes to be rewarded; compliment yourself and in turn it will release a nice feeling. Again rather like in sports. You do sports, the body releases endorphins = you feel better!
• "Where there is a will, there is a way."
• Stick with it, be kind to yourself and be patient. Change takes time if you want it to be sustainable.

My clients are not only from the 'Generation Stress' but also more experienced managers/executives. Everybody is aiming to find a healthier, less stressful daily life by improving their work-life balance. I would say that once a good recipe is found then it is all about maintenance! What each person of any generation benefits from is finding what their own individual way forward is. There is no universal answer.

Get to know yourself and meet your needs. The choice is yours.

http://ezinearticles.com/?A-Life-at-Work?-Here-Is-What-You-Need-to-Know-About-Work-Life-Balance&id=9554017

The ABCs of Time Management

Setting priorities and establishing boundaries are the heart of time management. These behaviors are closely linked to productivity and the achievement of important goals and objectives.

There are inevitably instances when conflicting responsibilities and demands threaten to overwhelm us. Deadlines loom. Manipulative people scheme to insinuate themselves into our lives because they enjoy the attention and control.

Procrastination ushers in avoidance behavior that sabotages the fulfillment of obligations and may prevent us from reaching our full potential. We may disappoint those who deserve our support.

The cold fact is that certain people and responsibilities are more important than others and we must be mindful of that reality when allocating the most precious resource we possess, next to our health.

Julian Birkinshaw, Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the London Business School and Jordan Cohen, Productivity Specialist at the global firm PA Consulting Group, spent three years studying how knowledge workers can become more productive. The two found that knowledge workers spend 41% of their time on discretionary activities that don't necessarily bring much value.

To make the most of our time, it is not enough to merely draw up a to-do list and throw oneself into as many items as hours and energy allow. It is necessary to give some thought to the implications and potential impact of what must be done, as well as the consequences of failing to do it.

In his 1989 time management classic How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life, Alan Lakein recommended that we evaluate each task by establishing SMART -- Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound -- goals when deciding where to devote our time and what to do first.

SMART goals are used to rank and label what we must do as an A, B, or C task. A-level tasks and goals are the most important. Lakein said A-level tasks are where we devote 80% of available time. The remaining 20% of available time will be divided between the B-level and C-level tasks, with C-level tasks receiving the smallest percentage of time.

To achieve important goals and objectives and in general accomplish whatever it is you intend to do, make a to-do list that starts with A-level tasks. Lakein emphasized that in order to get beyond mere efficiency, in which a laundry list of essentially unimportant tasks are completed, and on to productivity, we must understand and do what is most important. He urges us to work smarter, by doing what brings value-added and not harder, by frittering time on busy-work that could either be ignored or out-sourced.

Birkinshaw and Cohen suggest that we sort the C-level tasks into three groups: quick kills, meaning it's possible to discontinue these tasks with little or no negative consequences; off-loads, meaning what can be delegated or out-sourced; and long-term redesign, meaning projects that need to be re-structured or re-thought before they can be assessed for value-added potential.

The idea is to make more time available for A-level tasks or leisure activities that allow us to re-charge our energy stores, relax and enjoy ourselves. Work - life balance is an important component of quality of life, preventing burn-out and enabling us to operate at our productive and creative peak.

Thanks for reading,

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-ABCs-of-Time-Management&id=9264921

The 9 Most Common Regrets People Have At The End Of Life

The six years I spent working in hospice care were some of the most profound and meaningful of my life.

I sat at the bedsides of dying men and women as they tried to make peace with their time spent on this earth. Some were able to find resolution. Others were not.

Although each person’s life story was unique, certain regrets were expressed time and time again. We don’t have to wait until it’s too late. We can make conscious choices now to live fully and make the most out of each opportunity we have. These nine regrets expressed by hospice patients can teach us how to start living a better life today.

1. I wish I had been more loving to the people who matter the most.

Many people expressed sorrow for not having been more understanding, caring, and present for the people who were important to them. They wished they had the courage to say “I love you” more often.

Take a few moments to write a letter or make a phone call to someone you love and let them know how much you care. It will mean the world to them, and it'll make you feel pretty great too.

2. I wish I had been a better spouse, parent, or child.

The people I worked with often regretted taking their families for granted. After all, once they got terminally ill, it was their families who stuck by them to hold their hand, provide love and companionship, and care for them around the clock.

Even if your family is not perfect, they're probably the ones who are there for you when you need them. Remember to express gratitude for them daily.

3. I wish I had not spent so much time working.

Many had worked long, hard hours and they regretted missing the important moments in their kids’ lives. I remember one such person — a salesman whose boss expected him to travel three weeks each month when he had a young daughter at home. Although he was an excellent provider for her, he never got to know her well. As she became older, he tried to form a relationship with her but it was too late to make up for lost time. He never fully forgave himself for choosing time at work over time with her.

Remember that you have choices when it comes to your job. Choose a company that values a healthy work-life balance. It's okay to respectfully decline additional assignments that would require you to work beyond your assigned hours. Your job is important, but there are other things in life that are just as important.

Even if your family is not perfect, they're probably the ones who are there for you when you need them.

4. I wish I had taken more risks.

Many felt that a fear of failure caused them play it too safe. They knew that they could have had richer, more fulfilling lives had they taken some risks and disturbed the status quo.

One gentleman I worked with decided he had stayed in the confines of his comfort zone for far too long. Soon after learning of his diagnosis, he took the biggest risk he could think of. A sixtysomething man with a prosthetic leg, a terminal illness, and a desire for adventure, he jumped from an airplane at an altitude of 15,000 feet and soared toward the Earth at a rate of 115 mph. He told me that the freedom and exhilaration he experienced skydiving was greater than anything he had ever done before, and he had no idea why he waited so long to try it.

Consider making a list of everything you have ever wanted to experience in life. Then start crossing them off one by one and watch your happiness (and your comfort zone) expand dramatically.

5. I wish I had been happier and enjoyed life more.

Most people regretted the time they wasted worrying about things beyond their control. They didn't realize they were capable of choosing fun and happiness until it was too late.

Spend a few minutes every day doing something that you love and that brings you joy.

6. I wish I had lived my own dream.

Many people’s lifelong dreams went unfulfilled because they were too concerned with trying to live up to someone else’s expectations.

You are the only one who knows what’s best for you. Allow yourself to be open to endless possibilities. When envisioning your dream, remember this mantra, “this or something even better.”

Make time to go on a nature walk, take a nap, or meditate each and every day.

7. I wish I had taken better care of myself.

Most patients thought that if they'd eaten better, slept more, and paid more attention to their health and well-being, they might not have gotten sick. They wished they had made self-care more of a priority.

Make time to go on a nature walk, take a nap, or meditate each and every day.

8. I wish I’d have done more for others.

I heard countless wishes from people who dreamed of making a difference through kindness, compassion, and acts of service. Many patients made the decision, oftentimes right from their hospice beds, to donate their money to charities and service organizations so they could positively affect the lives of others after they were gone.

Pick a cause that is special to you and consider donating a bit of your time or money to help someone in need.

9. I wish I had chosen work that was meaningful for me.

Many expressed that they had never enjoyed their job but had stuck with it year after year to pay the bills. They wished instead that they had chosen work that was in line with their purpose and passions — work that they were excited about and gave them a sense of fulfillment.

Take some time to get crystal clear on what you are passionate about. You can then begin looking for work that speaks to these passions.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-23024/the-9-most-common-regrets-people-have-at-the-end-of-life.html

Why You're Not Getting Anything Done + What To Do About It

           

Most of us have had that moment during a busy day where we finally stop what we are doing to realize that we have been running wild on a hamster wheel, constantly moving, but not really getting anything done.

It's that feeling you get when you find yourself asking, Man, where did that day go?!Between driving or taking a million subway trips, banal errands, meetings, responding to emails, helping out friends and family, and even social media, every hour of the day is filled. And yet you still feel like you weren't able to accomplish anything "real."

But consider this silly piece of wisdom: "You have just as many hours in the day as Beyoncé.” And then consider that you can replace "Beyoncé" with anyone: The President, The Dalai Lama, Oprah, and/or any other notable figure who inspires you. The point is this that every person on earth is confined to the exact same 24 hour day as you. While it's easy to look with disbelief at the lives of these successful people, it's time to shift our perspective.

In other words, "not having enough time" is a mere idea that we're choosing to believe. By using those extremely successful people in the examples above, we know that we are all capable of making the time and achieving greatness, should we CHOOSE to commit to and prioritize our goals.

Here are five ways to help you be more efficient with your time, and really focus on knocking things off that to do list, leaving you feeling less stressed ... and much more productive.

1. Get cozy with the word "NO."

Why do we have such a hard time saying "no" to people? How did we get to a place where we feel like saying "no" to the things we don't want to do (or don't have time for) is a personal affront to another person?

If saying "yes" to someone else means saying "no" to yourself (and something that you really wanted to do or need to do), than ask yourself, who am I really letting down? This exercise will free up some time and energy for you. I guarantee it.

2. Eliminate energy busters.

Energy busters are those tasks that are low on the enjoyment level or low in priority. Some of these items even show up as things that I feel I “should” be doing but really have no interest in completing.

Start by making a list of all of your tasks over a one week time period and then review and rank all of those tasks on a scale of importance, value and enjoyment. From there, consider what can be eliminated entirely, or be reduced, restructured or outsourced.

3. Work less (yes, that's what I said).

This may sound counter-productive, but simply start working less and take note of the results. If you find that you are constantly putting in 60+ hours per week at work, just stop.

Most companies nowadays have a pretty solid appreciation and understanding for work-life balance and don’t require their employees to put in 10+ hours of overtime each week. It causes burnout and chronic stress, neither of which aid our productivity. Relaxation (through meditation, for example) is actually a powerful mode of ramping up our focus, believe it or not.

And if working less truly isn't an option, speak to your manager to see if there are any ways to re-evaluate your workload.

4. Be honest about how many hours you're wasting on "time-sucks."

"Time-sucks" include tasks such as email and social media. They are those activities that you spend the most unnecessary and unproductive time on.

I used to lose hours upon hours on social media. Now, I set myself twenty minutes in the morning and twenty minutes in the evening on those sites. I also only check email four times per day (morning, before lunch, after lunch and end of the day), and turn off all alerts and notifications.

By restricting my access to both, not only have I magically found additional hours to my day, and people no longer expect me to respond immediately either.

5. Create steady routines and habits you can expect.

Becoming more effective and efficient is like any other new goal that you are trying to create for yourself: it requires intention to making a change, and a commitment to follow-through.

Similar to trying to start a new exercise routine, trying to be more focused in your work involves strategy, creating new habits to help yourself stay on track. 

When I first started working for myself, I realized just how important this was as I suddenly had no structure in my days. So I thought back to my corporate job where I always had a routine to my days, including given times of day for breaks, snacks, a walk around the block and so on. I realized that a focused eight hours is incredibly more productive than distracted 10 hours.

Making these small adjustments to your day will allow you to experience the magic of adding valuable time to your day to help you achieve more of what you truly want to, and reduce stress and unnecessary exhaustion.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-18666/why-youre-not-getting-anything-done-what-to-do-about-it.html

10 Secrets to a Better Work-Life Balance

How many of the elements of our life are right?

When you break down all of the things that we do, both personally and professionally, there are a huge number each day, each week and each month. 

If you are inclined, you can categorize these tasks and work out which ones are absolutely in the right place, which ones are clearly not and which could be better if only certain things changed. We’re definitely going to see an improvement in work-life balance if we adjust those elements that are out of kilter. 

How interesting are we making our life?

Sometimes our schedules are full but we find that it is very routine and very dull. What we are driving at here is that you’ll find it useful to focus on what you do, what you read and what you think. 

In other words, is it possible that you can become more interested and more interesting if you pro-actively seek variety in these areas of your life? 'I haven’t got time to read!' I hear you say. If you’re reading the right things for you, you don’t have to spend many minutes in any day to trigger new thinking and new ideas. 

Your company and your boss 

Whether you’re working part time or full time, the likelihood is you’re giving more emotional time and energy than the amount of hours that you’re being paid for. That is not a bad thing, by the way, so long as it’s healthy for you. 

But you may want to reflect on where you are professionally. What are you doing, what is the organization and the team you’re doing it for, and who is your leader? If these components are fine, your work-life balance is likely to be in a good place. Quite often though, these elements need slight adjustments, if not a full blown transition, to get them into a better space. 

Your fitness 

At different stages of our life, our work-life balance shifts and resettles in a different place. This could be as a result of moving, changing jobs, embarking on a new relationship or having children. One of the secrets to getting a better work-life balance in any of these scenarios is to be fit. 

This is not about the kind of fitness that helps you run marathons; this is about being fit for where you are at this stage and how much energy you need to be able to perform without regularly making yourself exhausted. If you crave more time in bed in the morning because you’re exhausted, this is partly to do with your work and life being out of balance. If you address the fitness issue both in terms of nutrition and exercise, it’s going to help. 

Wake up your schedule

Many of us love routine. If we have routine and structure and stability in our daily schedule, our work and our life are generally in balance. This is certainly true for many people. But sometimes it is a good idea to break up this schedule, even if only for a short time, so that you can be engaged with different routines. 
Doing so brings a freshness and an energy that was not there before. 

Control 
The more control that we have over our life, the better. Sometimes we feel that things can get out of control. This sometimes happens with other people in our personal life, perhaps where one of our kids gets into a situation that’s less than ideal. Those sort of ad hoc events do occur, but more often our lack of control is over our work and over our travel. 

If it’s to do with our work, we must address it by renegotiating or re-contracting with our boss. The issue of travel can be harder. Where it is possible to travel less, particularly if we’re flying around, do so. There are also going to be times where you might want to negotiate spending your time differently, for example, working from home rather than being at the beck and call of highways and trains. 

Feedback and growth 

Feedback on how we’re doing is a fundamental requirement of a happy, well built person. We are not always in the lucky position where we get feedback spontaneously or regularly, either personally or professionally. 

You want to be bolder in asking for feedback more regularly, not just to know that you’re OK but also to identify where you can grow. 'What can I do in my life and in my work that will make things better, that will allow me to be more effective? How should I spend my time?' These are the questions that you should be able to ask of your boss periodically, not just once a year at the annual review. 

Friends and colleagues 

Good friends and trusted colleagues are a prerequisite to good work-life balance. These will be people that you trust, people that you can lean on in difficult times, people who will pick up the slack when you need that type of support. No one is an island. 

Have security and a plan B 

We all hope that we’re in a secure climate. That security of tenure, particularly in an economic downturn, is so important for retaining balance in our lives. The predictability of the labor situation is not as it used to be, and more and more areas of employment are becoming less secure. 

Have a plan B. If your current position were to end, what would you do? It’s not a question we ask ourselves often and it’s not an answer that is easy for us to give ourselves, but we must give an answer.

Work and non-work 

If you enjoy your work to such a degree that you don’t see the boundaries clearly between when you’re actually doing work and when you’re not, the likelihood is that you’re already engaged in the secret of work-life balance. 

The flipside of this is that your work is becoming too much of an intrusion and that it is causing you stress and anxiety. That clearly is not a good thing. If you have the former state of affairs, then you’ve probably got good work-life balance already. 

http://www.today.com/health/10-secrets-better-work-life-balance-I531921

14 Steps to Achieving Work-Life Balance

In today’s busy world, prioritizing between your work and your personal life can be a huge challenge. But studies show that a poor work-life balance can result in unhealthy levels of stress, unhappiness, and even reduced productivity.

The 14 tips outlined in this article are designed to help you restore the balance — and harmony — in your work and personal lives, so you can enjoy both to the utmost.

Step 1: Set your priorities

Figure out what you want your priorities to be, not what you think they should be. Ask yourself, “If I could only focus on one thing in my life, what would it be?”

That answer is your top priority. What would you focus on second? Third? Fourth? Fifth? You’ve now identified your top five priorities.

Step 2: Track your time

For one week, track how you spend your time. How much time do you spend doing things that don’t matter to you? Or that don’t align with your priorities? Eliminate these things from your life, or delegate them.

Step 3: Concentrate on one thing at a time

Forget multi-tasking. It’s not possible to focus on two things at the same time. Instead, devote your full attention to the task at hand.

When you are working, work. When you are spending time with your family, focus solely on them.

Step 4: Schedule one thing you look forward to each day

Book some time to play tennis with a friend, go to an art museum, or have a massage. The activity doesn’t have to be time-consuming, complicated, or expensive.

Put aside an hour on your schedule to read a book, take a walk, or just to be alone.

Step 5: Respect your private time

An emergency would most likely have to come up before you’d reschedule an important work meeting. Give your own time the same respect. Once you’ve put private time on your schedule, protect it, unless there’s an emergency.

Step 6: Take a look at your personal habits and general lifestyle

Lack of sleep, poor nutrition, and bad exercise habits can cause you to feel a lack of balance in your life, and can counteract any efforts you are making to achieve work-life balance.

Step 7: Take a vacation

At the very least, take two weeks off from work per year. You don’t need to go far and you don’t need to spend lots of money, but you do need to recharge your batteries in order to be the most productive, creative, and happy person possible. Turn off your cell phone and computer, and enjoy.

Step 8: Ask for support

Tell your boss, family, friends, colleagues, and anyone else involved in your life that you are seeking a better work-life balance.

Tell them what your plan is, and ask them to respect it.

Step 9: Hire a personal coach

A personal coach can assess your current work-life balance, and can tell you what you can do to achieve optimal balance.

Step 10: Get plenty of exercise

It may feel counterintuitive to add another activity to your life, but exercise relieves stress, clears your mind, and ultimately makes you more productive.

Don’t skip it. You’ll find that you greet work, family, and personal commitments with renewed vigor.

Step 11: Set boundaries

Today’s technology can make the line between your work life and personal life quite blurry.

Turn off your cell phone and laptop when you’re at your son’s soccer game, and ask friends and family not to interrupt your workday unless it’s an emergency.

Step 12: Find a mentor

Do you know someone who has it all — a successful career and a terrific personal life?

Ask him or her to give you advice on career development, setting priorities, and time management.

Step 13: Learn how to say “no”

Don’t acquiesce to every request that comes your way. If it doesn’t fit into your schedule or align with your priorities, don’t overwhelm yourself by taking on more.

Step 14: Evaluate your work-life balance on a regular basis

Achieving work-life balance is a never-ending journey, and your needs will be different at different times in your life.

Set aside some time once every other month or so to reflect on your current balance, what you would like it to be, and what the plan is for arriving there.

http://www.salary.com/14-steps-to-achieving-work-life-balance/slide/16/