10 Step Strategy to an Effective Work/Life Balance

I don’t purport to be an expert on many topics, but one area where I’ve absolutely mastered my life (by copying other successful people), is mastering my work life balance.

Do you plug in at home, or unplug?  For most, the line between work and personal life is completely obscured.  In fact, there is no line.  They simply blend together. 

The problem is when your boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife, etc. is texting and/or calling you all day long, you’re not fully engaged and committed to work.  You can’t give your all and function at peak performance levels.  It adds an entire layer of stress and anxiety to your already full plate.  The same holds true for personal time.  If you are constantly answering work calls, emails and texts, you’re destroying the time you need most to recharge your batteries.  Worse, you may be destroying valuable personal relationships.

So here’s a 10 point strategy to redraw the line and establish an effective work/life balance:

1. Define exactly what you want your professional and personal lives to look like – set your boundaries
   
2. Make it clear to everyone from your personal life, that when you are at work you are at work and not to be disturbed unless it’s an absolute emergency
   
3. Make it clear to everyone in your personal life that when you are at home, you will unplug unless it’s an absolute emergency
   
4. Hold a meeting with your key work colleagues and define the boundaries with them.  They will respect you more for your honesty.  And since we’re being honest, how many of those afterhours calls and emails could really wait until the next day anyway?
   
5. Also commit to everyone at work that you are there to work and you expect the same from them
   
6. If you have a specific commitment, make it clear in advance to those who need to know.
   
7. When you get home, shut off, or at a minimum, put your cell phone and computer in another room for all meals and connection time.  If I have to define connection time, then there’s a bigger issue present!
   
8. If you’re bound by a deadline or absolutely must engage a prospect or client afterhours, then schedule a block of time and separate you from everyone else.  You don’t want to disrupt them.
   
9. Create a game plan for your personal life of fun activities that you will commit too with loved ones.  Schedule them.
   
10. When you’re at work, schedule any personal activities for break or down times.

I’ve modeled this 10 point strategy after some of the most successful entrepreneurs for years, and have really mastered this area of my life.  It will take practice and discipline on your part to make it work.  

You will fail at times.  Don’t beat yourself up.  Just pick yourself up and keep committing to make it work.  You will succeed.