What do you do if your work-life balance is disrupted during a crisis or emergency?

In 2018 my family experienced a sudden, devastating loss. What was critical in the moments that followed? Recognizing what mattered and prioritizing it. Family mattered, time with them mattered, and supporting each other mattered. Nothing else was of critical importance. I used paid time off for a week and spent the time together with my family to process our loss.

Maintaining work-life balance during a crisis or emergency can be challenging but essential for your well-being. Here are some strategies to help restore balance: Identify the most critical tasks that need immediate attention and focus on completing them first. This can help alleviate some of the pressure and create a sense of control over your workload. Clearly communicate your availability and boundaries to your colleagues, clients, and supervisors. Let them know when you will be available for work-related tasks and when you need time for personal matters. Delegate tasks or responsibilities to others to lighten your workload. Trust your team members to handle certain tasks while you focus on what requires your immediate attention.

Sometimes simply being overwhelmed can be a crisis and it is then that we need to set strong boundaries to protect ourselves from total burnout. Prioritizing is key once you recognize overwhelm. Step back, create your task list, and prioritize. Get what matters most done first, then keep moving down the list. Can't get it all done in one day? Ask for help or delegate. Also, if it's not time-sensitive, it can wait until tomorrow. All we can do is recognize when we have too much on our plates and make adjustments to ensure our priorities are getting the attention they deserve.

Adaptability is a critical life skill that many of us lack. However, allowing yourself to be flexible, adaptable, or "go with the flow" can help reduce your stress. If a task is not an emergency, then don't treat it like one. If you can adjust and be flexible with deadlines to make it work for you - do it! If you aren't in control of a project and need to ask for flexibility on a timeline - do it! Put yourself and your family at the top of the priority list and keep it that way. When things in your personal life are less chaotic, it can be easier to cope with stressors at work.

Whenever I am overstimulated, overwhelmed, or overstressed, I need to decompress. My work product will suffer and I will not be able to separate work from home life if I don't let myself recharge! For me, it's quiet time alone. No screens, no sounds, just sitting quietly. After a few minutes, I reflect on accomplishments, goals, prioritize, and end with gratitude. Just 30 minutes of this quiet time is so calming and allows me to focus more clearly on what is important.

Mental health is just like physical health in that it needs to be tended to on a regular basis. I make it a point to get yearly check-ins, seek out counseling and life coaching when I'm going through challenges, and encourage everyone around me to do the same. If we aren't well, mentally, we aren't allowing ourselves to live our best lives. The resources are out there, so take advantage of them!