Article by By Susan Leigh – http://www.lifestyletherapy.net

There are times when our commitment to a positive work/life balance can be affected and we start to feel stressed, resentful and frustrated with life. Our time may be required to deal with an urgent work situation, staffing levels may be inadequate or we find we are needed to intervene in a domestic matter and we become stressed as we’re pulled in many different directions. If this is an occasional or emergency situation we may be able to accommodate it for a while.

However, if this becomes a way of life, goes on for too long or becomes our usual fire-fighting response we may need to look at other options to support a better work/life balance and bring some peace of mind and harmony back into our lives. Hypnotherapy can help reintroduce a better sense of balance and the ability to cope in a happier, more positive, less reactive way.

* Balance in life starts by taking care of you, looking after yourself nutritionally, stopping for regular, healthy food breaks, water, exercise, fresh air and fun. When we’re stressed and out of balance it can affect our quality of sleep, libido, sense of humour, positive perspective, ability to cope. Start by weighing up what’s really important to you, what you need to support your ability to take good care of you and enable you to maintain a healthy balance in the different areas of your life.

Recognise that there may be a need for additional help. Consider paying for cleaning, laundry, gardening to be done by someone else. Delegate tasks or ask for help and even if they’re not done to your exacting standards, relax and appreciate the input.

* Learn to say ‘no’ sometimes. It can be tempting to appear ready and willing to do everything that’s asked of you, happy to take on more and more work or accept invitations to every function you’re invited to but sometimes it’s important to weigh up the pros and cons of these different requests. Small businesses understandably often have a feast or famine mindset. When work requests come in it is often automatic to accept them because of the requirement to earn money and establish good relationships with existing or potentially new customers and clients.

But learning to say ‘no’ sometimes can help you to use your time and energy in the best possible way, to look after your existing business well, focus on what’s right for you, prioritise, give each piece of work, offer or opportunity your full consideration and focus clearly on how it meets your longterm goals.

‘No’ can teach co-workers, family and friends not to rely on you for everything and, if necessary, to become a little more independent in their thinking and more confident in their own abilities. It also teaches them that while at times you may be amenable to their suggestions, go along with their wishes and/or demands, you are also deserving of respect, entitled to have opinions of your own and have a say in any decisions, plans and arrangements.

* Do what feels right for you. Are your motives on track or are you over-committing in order to be seen as popular, busy or indispensable? Take some quiet time and check what your gut, your inner voice is saying. Taking on too much or agreeing to do things we don’t really want to do may take us out of our comfort zone and encourage us to develop and grow, but the motivation to maintain that effort comes from the excitement, enthusiasm and positivity we feel in following genuine, heartfelt goals, hopes and dreams.

* Work/life balance includes putting yourself in the diary on a regular basis, planning quiet time, time to read a book, to go for a pleasant walk in the countryside or to the beach. Arrange a spa day where you have to leave your phone behind and are unavailable to be contacted unless there’s a real emergency. Make time to enjoy your hobbies and interests.

* Decide to finish work each day at a reasonable time. Turn off your work phone and computer. Be strict about it, dedicating time for yourself, your family and friends. These personal areas deserve to be treated as important, respected and valued by you in order to thrive and enjoy a significance in your life, to enjoy a healthy work/life balance.

Susan Leigh is a Counsellor and Hypnotherapist who works with stressed individuals to promote confidence and self belief, with couples experiencing relationship difficulties to improve communications and understanding and with business clients to support the health and motivation levels of individuals and teams.

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