Striking A Balance

Over the last two years, many people have paused, reflected, and taken action, all to find the holy grail of an improved balance in their life. The increase in remote, hybrid, and flexible working has allowed employers to open up their pool of available talent and employees to become more selective about who they work for and with.

With these choices comes the ability to become more efficient and effective with our time, particularly when balancing a demanding job against the challenges of domestic life. But, it is home life that often suffers as we fight to fit everything into our packed diaries. We are struggling to strike the right balance.

Taking inspiration from a recent podcast, a well-known coaching concept, and the world of business, this week I wanted to explore the idea of LIFE BALANCE and three ways to help improve it.

Recognising Time Is Finite

Jonny Wilkinson is one of the most decorated rugby players of all time and famously scored the winning drop goal in the 2003 Rugby World Cup final. Across two episodes of the High Performance Podcast, with Jake Humphrey and Prof. Damian Hughes, he candidly shares how the pressure of expectation, having a career defined by others, and the subsequent exploration of these topics have impacted his life.

Through all the insightful, inspiring, and deep thinking, there is one stand-out message ‘TIME IS FINITE’. We should not only make the most of every moment but recognise that dwelling on the past or worrying about the future are wasted minutes. Life is not mobile phone data that carries forward to the next month. Spending time on one part of your life takes it from other areas. Being comfortable with this means you naturally feel more balanced. So, how do you decide what needs your focus?

The Wheel Of Life

The Wheel of Life is a simple framework that helps you visualise those life areas that are flourishing and which need some work. By grading the eight most important areas of your life, you gain clarity on where to act, monitor progress over time, and see where you may need to redistribute your time.

Here is an example:

Starting Something New? Then Stop Something Else

Many year-end performance reviews include a Stop, Start, and Continue section, allowing the employee to provide constructive feedback on the manager and the wider business. On reflection, it would be a great technique to adopt with life in general as it compliments The Wheel of Life. If you need to spend time on your fitness, what other activities need to stop, or if you are comfortable with your career, what is required to maintain the status quo.

When it comes to business growth, every strategic plan should have a Stop, Start, and Continue to focus the team on achieving the objectives and outcomes. Often a business leader may add to or change the team priorities without resetting expectations and removing redundant tasks. For the employee, this can lead to overwhelm, a feeling of imbalance in their life, and a seemingly infinite to-do list.

Now answer these two questions honestly.??

Are you using your time wisely? And perhaps more importantly

Are you supporting your family, friends, and teams to strike a balance in their lives?

Have a brilliant week!

David Rogers

Founder & CEO, Fuelled Fit and Fired Up Ltd

At Fuelled Fit and Fired Up, our purpose is simple. We want to help you develop a financially healthy, commercially sustainable, and operationally effective business. If you are interested in finding out how we can help you and your business thrive, then contact us at [email protected] .