Work hard – play hard
What does that really mean? It means that you have strive to be good a balancing your professional life and your personal life. The goal is to keep enjoying work and enjoying time with friends and family as well as have time to do the things you enjoy. If only a day had 48 hours instead of 24, that would be easy. Finding a work-life balance is however not as easy as it seems.
In a corporate environment, a workday can be long and demanding. Having a family at home and spending time after work and in the weekends makes it difficult to recharge as you also want to spend time with them, but you also need to unwind. The job is important as you need it to support yourself and your family. The bigger the family to support, the more pressure to make sure you keep the job.
Work to live or live to work?
What applies to you? It differs for everyone and the key is to find the balance that suits you best. But why? Why is this so important?
Working in a demanding job and having to also juggle personal life can be very stressful. Stress is something the human body can handle for short periods of time, but only if it gets some rest afterwards.
When in stress, the body goes into a “flight- or fight mode” and releases adrenaline. This causes to make your muscles tense and your heart and blood pressure will rise. You breathing becomes more superficial, your digestion slows down and your increase the production of sweat. In addition, a hormone called cortisol becomes also active and that will cause a rise in blood sugar levels and an acceleration of metabolism, because you need extra energy. It also supresses your immune system. This is all good when it’s only for a short period. But, under a constant state of stress, your immune system will be suppressed for a longer time, due to the levels of cortisol and this effect your general health. If it is chronic state of stress, you can even develop diabetes type II, obesity, digestive complaints or cardiovascular disease.
So, whatever your balance is, it should always be a balance that makes sure you are not in a constant state of stress.
Key points of why to have healthy work life balance
Productivity: Having a healthy work- life balance makes you more productive. Being relaxed, happy and rested actually makes you be able to make better (work) decisions and be more productive. So you will get more things done in a shorter amount of time.
Relationships: Having the time to spend quality time with friends and family is key to maintain relationships. Many divorces happen due to partners focussing too much on work and not on each other. Your children are grown up before you know it and making sure you spend time with them, helps them turn into happy and healthy adults and you get to enjoy their childhood years. And friends might be very understanding if you cannot see them, but at some point, they start looking for other friends.
Identity: Your job gives you a part of your identity. But, you are not your job. You are so much more. By doing other things besides your job, you get to also be that person and in that you will be happier and more satisfied with your life. Focussing on just one thing is not healthy.
Health: Science proved it. Continues stress is not good for your body. Being in a loving relationship, spending time with family and friends, developing yourself in different ways have all been proven to make you a happier human being. And when you are happy, you live longer, you are healthier, you live longer, you have more friends, etc.
You only live once: Living in the here and the now. Make sure you live your best life.
Executive coaching
Corporate life is demanding and while a lot of executive coaching is about improving your manger skills. This is done by improving your self-awareness and self-regulation, your ability to be a more empathic leader, by improving your skill level on other areas. Your EQ improves and thus you are a better leader.
All of this is not complete without making sure your work-life balance is balanced.
Executive coaching by Nynke
With my coaching we work on the work-life balance part of executive coaching. I have based my coaching on my experience as a family law lawyer, a mediator, a cross border mediator and a relationship therapist.
From my experience a systemic-approach with you as the starting point is more effective. The coaching starts with you and if needed can be extended to the people around you. My approach is personal and effective.
INTERESTED IN COACHING BY NYNKE
SEND AN EMAIL TO: WHITEROD@DEFAMILIEZAAK.COM
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