What does it mean to have balance in your life? Busy parents who have a career and care deeply about what they do, struggle with this the most. At work we feel that we are not doing as much as we could and are being held back; and at home we are rushed and often feel a twinge at the pit of our stomach for not spending enough time with our families. Guilt is one of the feelings that comes from the thought of not doing enough.
I have experienced this when my son was a toddler and I returned to full-time work; I still feel this way at times. The mornings when I had to leave him at daycare in tears were tough, but the feeling of exhaustion when playing together in the evening and the thought that I was not giving the best of myself was even tougher. Saying ‘no’ to 5PM meetings is still hard, sometimes impossible, but the process of bringing clarity to my priorities and setting clear goals has helped immensely.
What does balance look like for you in your personal life and with your kids?
Where does the feeling of not doing enough come from; and what does ‘enough’ look like?
What do you look forward to every day and what makes you feel excited and alive?
This is the key to feeling that we are in balance. Get really concrete about each aspect of your life to be able to design clear goals for yourself and take action.
Clarity, planning and action = balance, purpose, happiness.
You are enough.
