What do you do if your work-life balance is hindering your career growth in strategic communications?

Being in balance doesn’t mean you spend equal time on everything. It means you know your priorities and cultivate the discipline to maintain them. To define mine, I use the “wheel of life.” For me, balance consists of five “pie slices”: physical health, mental health, self-development, career, and family. I reassess my wheel monthly, evaluating whether I’ve given each slice a balanced amount of time and which ones need more attention in particular periods of my life. As with all things, I view it as a work in progress and don’t beat myself up for not being perfect. On this step you need to be ready to give up something and understand that whenever you choose one thing, you are also not choosing something else.

I think everyone is at a different point in their lives where their priorities stand; for me it's more about quality of life outside of work that matters to me but so long as I can keep doing my job and doing it well, I'm happy. Settling for good enough is never something anyone should do; always strive for better but always be constantly evaluating your priorities. It's about give and take and sometimes, we have to divert energy to what's most important in that moment.

I agree, however it’s identifying what is most important at the moment. Setting priorities will help but what if the priority at the time is elevating your career or career growth. Then that requires you to spend more time, study more and possibly take courses or even just working more efficiently so that you are seen for your work. For me it’s all about knowing what is required at that moment in time and setting your energy to it. You always have to keep evaluating to know what needs to be done per time. It is ways a two way stream never one sided.

Easy answer - find another company with better values. Your family life and work-life balance are the most important thing. You can typically find a good-paying job that doesn't cause you to decompose every Friday.

The Compass of Your Career "Charting Your Course with Intention" Understanding what truly matters both in your personal life and career is the first step. I’ve learned that assessing priorities helps in making informed decisions that align with your long-term goals.

Les réseaux sociaux sont actifs 24h/24, ce qui signifie que les professionnels qui y travaillent peuvent être sollicités à tout moment, y compris les soirs et les weekends. Par conséquent, il est crucial d'assurer le respect du droit à la déconnexion au sein de votre équipe, même si cela va à l'encontre de la volonté de certains membres. Les situations d'urgence sont les seules exceptions justifiant une intervention hors des heures de travail habituelles. Pour gérer ces cas, il est nécessaire de mettre en place un système d’astreintes pour les collaborateurs, incluant une rotation et des compensations telles qu'une indemnité financière ou des jours de repos additionnels.

To address work-life balance hindering career growth in strategic communications: 1. Establish boundaries: Clearly define work hours and non-negotiable personal time. 2. Prioritize tasks: Focus on high-impact activities and delegate or eliminate non-essential tasks. 3. Schedule breaks: Allocate time for relaxation and rejuvenation to prevent burnout. 4. Communicate limits: Set expectations with colleagues and supervisors regarding availability and response times. 5. Learn to say no: Politely decline additional commitments when necessary to avoid overextension. 6. Seek support: Enlist help from colleagues or mentors to manage workload or navigate career advancement opportunities.

In my opinion is being efficient with the times you have to work. Focus on what is important. Give less time to play at work. So that at the end of the day you have achieved your task. Same way if career is what is important at the time, spend quality in learning and doing the work that is required.

When you have a micro-manager boss, you need boundaries. No texts or calls after 6 pm or on weekends. No "come to work" days on a weekend, and no lunch meetings where they don't provide participants for participants. While we all will gladly put in our 40-50 hours a week, many bosses will over-step reality and push for more. Typically, they need the training to work better with their teams. Bob Britz - Founder CareerCOACH Services

The Framework of Focus "Drawing Lines for Peace and Productivity" Setting clear boundaries between work and personal time has been crucial. It’s about creating a framework that allows you to focus on your career growth while also nurturing your personal well-being.

I typically host 30-35 meetings a week with clients and team members. Using products like Calendly and Zoom help you organize your time. I seldom need to prep more than 5-10 minutes before a meeting and all work is done. Automation can be your friend.

Working out at a gym is 1. away from work, 2. away from family, and 3. excellent for your health. When you're healthy, your work is healthy.

If you constantly feel like you’re on a hamster wheel with repeated and dull tasks and have lost meaning or purpose then reevaluate how you got there. Have the courage to explore new terrains and be very conscious about what inspires you. Only you hold the keys to your own progress. Put yourself first under all costs. If your cup isn’t filled you’re also not going to fill anyone else’s. The worst you can do is ignore the problem and carry on. Have the objectivity to do an audit of your life time to time and have a vision of yourself. But don’t be flippant - learn to discern a burnout from a bad phase. Latter is fixable with strategic steps, former is more long term and potentially harmful.

I just published my book Men Mentoring Men. It's focused on the needs of men in the family and at work. Oddly, there are thousands of groups and books for women mentoring, but only a few for men. Topics of discussion are work, family, sex, kids, faith, and a host of topics. Having a mentor alongside is priceless and valuable. So many men are seeing psychologists (and women) mostly because they don't have a confidant to talk to in their friend or family groups. This is a national crisis for the 20-30 crowd - many of whom are working and struggling. Mentoring helps society see that "masculine' doesn't require the word "toxic" in the definition at all. In fact, masculine is what makes. men, men Bob Britz.

The Guidance of Giants Learning from Those Who’ve Walked the Path Seeking mentorship has provided me with invaluable insights and guidance. Mentors can offer perspectives on balancing a demanding career with personal life, which is especially beneficial in strategic communications.

Online Courses and Webinars: Enroll in relevant online courses or participate in webinars to enhance strategic communication skills. Platforms like LinkedIn Learning and Coursera offer courses on topics such as crisis communication and digital marketing strategies. Professional Workshops and Conferences: Attend industry workshops and conferences to stay updated on the latest trends and best practices in strategic communication. Events like the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) International Conference provide valuable networking opportunities and insights into emerging communication strategies.

As I have aged and had jobs I loved and others that were not as great but I learned and grew, my priorities have shifted. Work-life balance isn’t a balance because that means equal. I don’t live to work but I work to live. And that means thoughtful evaluation of what is important, how I can achieve that (time, financially, a plan etc) and then committing to it. I also don’t want to punch a clock and what I do for work needs to also fulfill me. And what that fulfillment is has evolved over the years - it is not just a paycheck.

In strategic communications, being permanently in touch with many people is unavoidable. But this doesn’t mean you should waste your time communicating with every single person or agreeing on meetings and pointless calls or emails that are irrelevant to your goals. Instead, filter your surroundings and prioritize quality over quantity. For example, I find new and interesting ways to spend time with clients and people I value, such as running together, attending art fairs, or taking a trip to the mountains. Cultivating high-quality relationships leads to a high-quality life, better work-life balance and greater results.

Au moment d'avoir un enfant, j'ai eu une discussion franche avec mon supérieur sur ce que cela allait changer pour moi. Il se trouve que j'ai une compagne en reconversion avec des fortes contraintes horaires. Il était donc nécessaire que mon employeur comprenne qu'il faudrait que j'aménage mes propres horaires en fonctions de ces contraintes. Quand je pars à 17h du bureau pour aller chercher mon fils à la crèche, je n'ai pas d'autre choix. Ces jours-là, je ne peux pas participer à une réunion tard le soir. Je peux en revanche compenser en travaillant de nouveau une fois que mon fils est couché. ?a implique de la souplesse de ma part et de celle de mon supérieur. Encore faut-il avoir la chance de travailler avec un manager compréhensif