Although much has been written about work and family reconciliation and it is not original to return to the subject, the truth is that many readers have asked me for help on that and, furthermore, there is little original about the information overload we have, ¿ true? So today I tell you what you can do to reconcile your work life and family and personal life. This is what I have been learning from my experience (and I still have a long way to go!):
There is no universal definition of work-person balance. Many people think that there is no balance between work and personal life, but I disagree, it does exist but it is different for each person. So there will be advice that will not solve anything for you and someone else will. What is clear is that there is no universal formula, solution or recipe x + y = happy balance. Each person has different circumstances, priorities and needs and that is what you have to base yourself on.. It is something that I mention in almost all my articles, and it is fundamental, you have to know your values, priorities and needs at this precise moment (we already know that they will change over time, but what you are concerned about is the present) in order to determine the best way to reconcile work and personal life for you and your family. And do not be overwhelmed if you think that your neighbor is happy and you do not, what makes another person happy does not have to make you happy.
If you don't know what you want, you will hardly get it (and if you get it you won't know). How do you want to achieve a balance if you don't know what it is for you? So answer, when you talk about reconciling your personal and work life, what exactly do you mean? What would a healthy balance be for you? What combination would make you feel satisfied? Maybe it is not as difficult as you think but you have not thought about it until now.
Be realistic and start with what you have. Analyze your schedules and availability and think about how you could take advantage of the time you have. Remember that quality matters more than quantity. Not by having the whole afternoon free you will reconcile your life better than if you only have a couple of hours. It seems illogical but from experience I tell you that when you are not clear about what you want and you do not organize yourself well, you waste time instead of taking advantage of things that would make you feel good. In fact, the busier you are, the more things you do, or haven't you noticed? So instead of thinking that you only have two hours free and that you won't have time to do anything, take advantage of them! You don't need long periods of time to feel good, a quarter of an hour reading on the sofa is enough to relax, a half-hour yoga class, a 20-minute walk with your partner, half an hour of uninterrupted attention to your child. If you have little time, start with that little time that is better than nothing. What about using your time in the car to listen to your favorite music or a teleclass,or spending time chatting with your classmates, eating outdoors, reading a book or simply doing nothing, what relaxes you the most. Take advantage of every moment.
Make changes. It is obvious, but you do not, and so no matter how much you complain you are not going to achieve anything. What do you want more time for yourself or for your family or for both? Well get down to work, organize the day well, delegate the least important, create systems to facilitate your life (menus for meals, all errands the same day, etc.), set limits on your work and say no to people and projects, accept that the day does not have enough hours to do everything you want and choose the activities and people you want to be part of. It is not easy, but you will see if it is worth continuing like this.
In the end it is a matter of elections, there are many things that can be postponed without causing a drama, what you have to do is dare to set limits, to say I have come this far and tomorrow more. In summary, this is what I recommend: define what balance is for you, take advantage of the free time you have (no matter how little) to do things that give you energy and contribute to balance, get down to work and leave room for what you really do you mind.
