Is work-life balance possible?

When I tell people that I’m a spiritual life coach, I get this one question every so often:

Is work-life balance possible?

My answer: Absolutely!

But the idea of achieving work-life balance might not be what you might think.

When people think about work-life balance, some think of it as the perfect life where you leave your work at work, you have your time for friends, family and exercise, your finances are in perfect order, and your boundaries are clearly set.

Sounds great, right?

The problem arises when some people imagine work-life balance as an end goal, meaning you set up your life so you reach this ideal state where everything feels balanced. And that’s it. No more work needs to be done.

However, life doesn’t work like that. Life is constantly moving and evolving. 

Life isn’t static. Life is very dynamic.

This means, then, that you have to approach work-life balance as a continual practice. 

At one moment you may feel like you’ve reached a state of harmony and flow. Then, you realize the world around you is shifting so you’ve got to respond accordingly. You shift your stance and your energy if you’d like to maintain that state of harmony and flow.

I imagine it’s like surfing, even though I’ve never surfed a day in my life. While you’re riding a wave, you’re constantly making adjustments on your surfboard to keep your balance, all while moving towards the direction you want to go.

In this sense, work-life balance is a mixture of being pro-active and responsive. 

Being pro-active is bringing intentionality in your daily life by creating behaviors and boundaries that promote the feeling of a well-rounded life. 

Being responsive is assessing shifting, unexpected situations, and making intentional choices for how you respond.

For your coaching assignment this week, I’ve provided a list of tips below that you can use to bring a greater sense of work-life balance in your everyday life. See if you’d like to try any one of these this week:
​

• Turn off your phone: Set designated times in your day when you switch off your phone. This can be during meals, or it can be an hour or two before you go to sleep. 

• Schedule time with family and friends: If it’s in your calendar, you’re more likely to follow through. Call up a family member or some friends, and schedule some quality time together.

• Move your body: Exercise is a great way to clear the mind and to keep your body’s systems in constant circulation. And remember, exercise isn’t only about going to the gym. You can take a walk in your neighborhood, do some gardening or go dancing!

• Meditate: Take some time to go within and connect with your highest self. Meditation brings a greater awareness to what is, and it helps to create space in the midst of the hubbub of the day.

• Organize and clear out a space: When you physically clear out a space (for example, a drawer, closet, car trunk or attic), especially a space that’s been a mess for quite some time, you create a sense of openness in your being too. Being able to breathe in a space helps you to feel more at ease and flow in your life.

• Learn to say no: Sometimes the best way to create a sense of balance is to simply say no. Say a friend wants you to go out but you’re feeling tired, or a co-worker is asking you to cover for him but you don’t want to. It’s okay to say no. You are as important as the people around you.

If you’re seeking to experience more of a work-life balance and you want to know if you’re on the right path, feel into your energy. 

If you’re feeling openness, ease and flow, you’re on the right track. If you’re feeling more stress and overwhelm, you might need to re-adjust.

Yes, work-life balance is definitely possible. 

Ultimately, it’s about your ongoing practice to bring intentionality and spaciousness in your life.

Abundant Blessings and Namaste.

I'd love to hear your thoughts about today’s post. Please leave a comment below.

And if you’re feeling the need for guidance or support for a particular area of life, I offer a complimentary life coaching consultation where we can chat. You can learn more about these life coaching consultations by clicking here.

---