Coaching for Balance: Navigating Work and Life as a Supportive Middle Manager

Being a Middle Manager is not for the faint of heart. You have to be everywhere, all at once, and do so with the utmost of professionalism while keeping steady, focused, and helpful. If you're a middle manager with a natural inclination to support others, you may often find yourself struggling to balance your desire to help with your own well-being. As a life and leadership coach, I want to share some insights and guidance on how to achieve that delicate balance.

Understanding Your Inclination to Help

Your innate desire to be of service and provide support is a valuable trait, especially in your role as a middle manager. It's essential to recognize and appreciate this aspect of your personality. However, it can also present challenges when it comes to setting boundaries and taking care of yourself.

Navigating Work Demands

In recent times, the demands of your work have increased, with multiple projects and team members seeking your assistance. While it's fulfilling to make a positive impact on their professional lives, this can leave you feeling overwhelmed. Balancing your role's demands with personal time and self-care is becoming a significant challenge.

Yet, all challenges that are worth overcoming makes the triumph over them that much sweeter! Here is something that I recommend to everyone of my clients when creating their plan of attack of the month.

Blocking out self-care time and then setting a goal for hitting a benchmark of cumulative hours/mins achieved in that month. This can include a combination of exercise, getting more sleep, skin care routines, meditation, prayer, stretching, reading, etc. Anything that you do that energizes you, count it!

Breaking Free from the "Yes Syndrome"

One common challenge is the tendency to say "yes" to additional tasks, even when it's necessary to set boundaries. The constant need to be needed can be compelling. However, it's crucial to understand that saying "yes" to everything may come at the cost of your personal life and well-being.

Do not say yes when you mean no. That is not fair to you or to whomever you are saying yes to because when you do, it pulls you away from being in integrity with yourself. Be clear, because being clear is kind - being unclear is unkind.

Recognizing the Need for Change

Awareness is everything. You've taken the first step by recognizing that your current approach is affecting your personal life and health negatively. It's a crucial realization that sets the stage for positive change. Awareness and action go hand in hand. Trust yourself enough to know that the decisions you make for increasing your energy is the best thing for everyone you serve (and that YOU are also a part of "The Everybody").

The Barrier In-Between

Balancing work and life is an ongoing journey, and with the right support, you can achieve that equilibrium. By setting boundaries, prioritizing self-care, and learning to say "no" when needed, you'll navigate your role as a supportive middle manager effectively while enjoying a fulfilling personal life. The only thing standing in your way is YOU. It's the fear of approaching your work and life differently which makes a lot of sense because you've been creating your current level of success in the only way you know how. Yet, there is a different way to play the game.

Blessings,

Coach Chris

psst: I have an invitation for you!

If you are "game" in learning how, I am offering a free online workshop called the "Fresh Start Workshop" this Wednesday Jan. 17, 2024 at 7pm EST.

If you are looking for ways to step into this year with a fresh new perspective, more energy, and FUN while still being the amazing Servant Leader that you are, this may be just what you are looking for!

Click here for more details: Learn more about The Fresh Start Workshop here