What do you do if your work responsibilities are encroaching on your personal life?

The 'Wheel of Life' framework is an effective and easy tool to do a quick work/life audit. Some example of categories include health, career, friends & family. Step 1: Rate each area of your life now on a scale of 1-10. Step 2: Use a different pen and mark where you would ideally like each area of your life to be. Step 3: Identify gaps. Notice areas with lower scores that are important to you. Know that these priorities can change over time.

If your work responsibilities are encroaching on your personal life, consider taking the following steps: Set Boundaries: Establish clear boundaries between work and personal life. Define specific times when you are available for work-related tasks and designate periods for personal activities and relaxation. Prioritize Tasks: Prioritize your tasks and focus on completing high-priority assignments during work hours. Delegate or postpone less urgent tasks to avoid overextending yourself. Communicate with Your Employer: Have an open and honest conversation with your employer about the challenges you're facing. Discuss possible solutions, such as adjusting workloads or schedules, to achieve a better balance.

Boundaries are healthy. You think that it's rude, mean or selfish, but, it's the only way to sustain the energy needed to succeed at our job & fully enjoy the life we are living. It isn't easy to set maintain boundaries, so don't give up! It gets easier as you experience the impact it has on creating work/life HARMONY & shifts our inner alignment. Start by making, & holding, boundaries with yourself. I call these promises. It may sound silly, but it is harder than it seems. Don't have routines? Create & refine them (Need help-reach out). Start by honoring promises around sleep & wake, sunlight, movement & water intake. Write your promises down & post where you will see them regularly. Anything that breaks these promises is a NO.

We often work asynchronously, but we need to set boundaries around a range of time set for work hours. Setting expectations of your team (what they should expect from you and vice-versa) means total transparency. Things get muddled when we don't discuss these boundaries which can lead to miscommunications and non-intended tensions. Prioritize mental health and keep healthy boundaries between your work and personal life.

Start your day by defining 3 non-negotiable priorities, setting completion time, and putting them in your calendar, add a 20% buffer to not be tough on yourself (like I am). If you lead a Team, create a priority list and pipeline projects for them as well. You need to know your productivity cycles to distribute work accordingly. For example, my peak-productive hours are 10 a.m.-12 p.m., 3 p.m.-5 p.m. Mute all of the potential distractions and make sure you're in a favorable work environment. To top up your productivity, make sure you have quality breaks such as walking outside, quick meditations, breathing exercises, focus exercises, etc. Reflect your progress at the end of the day and adjust for the next one.

One thing I've found helpful is taking the time to revitalize..I call it taking time to declutter and to get rid of negative energies as well as giving your body the well deserved rest it deserves.. we can eat healthily and make diet substiutions but there's zero substitute for rest

Work responsibilities will always compete with your personal life for your attention: so don't beat yourself to create a balance on a daily or a weekly basis. Often such approach may not work for the majority. So, here is what I have learned 1. Observe and become aware of wane and wax of work and personal demands. 2. Once you are familiar with this pattern, identify what is in your control to change easily and consistently. There you will have the balance. Create blocks of focused work during peak seasons and adjust schedules around personal commitments like holidays. This cyclical approach allows for periods of intense work followed by dedicated personal time, reducing stress and maintaining overall well-being.