The Most Powerful Tool For Time Balance

Work-life balance. Who doesn’t want to improve it? Keeping the balance between our work and life at home can be a struggle at times. Especially for women. Even when you know your significant other is picking up the kid from daycare, you still think about everything you need to do at home and wonder whether everything is ok.

Trying to find balance between the time and energy you spend at work and everything else in your life is a dream for many. Especially moms of younger kids.

If you struggle with your time balance or feel like you are working all the time and neglecting all other areas of life, this post is for you.

What is work-life balance?

Before we dive into the best tool you have to improve your work-life balance, let’s define what work-life balance means.

There are people who will say that there is no such thing as a work-life balance. And I would agree with them. Because work is part of life.

When we talk about work-life balance what we struggle with is defining and keeping our priorities. Work is important. It pays the bills, at the least. And for many, it’s also a fulfilling part of life.

Life outside of work is important too. Some would argue it’s even more essential because, at the end of our life, we don’t regret the fact we didn’t spend more time in the office. What we regret is not spending time with our loved ones and friends. We also lament the fact that we didn’t get to experience the adventures we were dreaming about.

So, when we talk about work-life balance, all we mean is making sure we know our priorities and that we choose how to spend our time. In a way, it’s time balance.

It’s also about managing our energy so we get to enjoy and utilize the time after 5 or 6 PM.

Why is time balance important?

I already mentioned it, but it’s worth repeating it. We don’t regret not spending more time at work. On the contrary, people regret working too hard. They also regret not living life on their terms and not being happier.

Even if we forget about the ultimate end and focus on the now, having a balance makes work and life more meaningful. Being able to spend your well-earned money on experiences and positions with family and friends is awesome. And enjoying all these can be a fantastic motivation for that next gloomy November Monday morning when you start wondering why the hell you are doing this – making a corporation richer while you feel miserable.

Last but not least, if you want to perform at your best at work, you need time off work. You need to balance the time ON with time OFF (rest and relaxation). As cliche as it is, just like all your devices need time to recharge and your car needs to refuel, you need rest to replenish your energy and motivation, too.

Time off work actually makes you more productive and better at work! Work-life balance improves your value in the marketplace!

How to improve your work-life balance

With all the benefits of work-life balance, how do you improve yours? What can you do about it if you have a full-time job that requires you to spend 40 hours a week at work (even going to the office)?

And let’s face it. As a leader managing people, you probably work more than 40 hours. Especially now that our work laptops and phones are in our homes.

Let’s start with a bit of math (I know you love math, my fellow geek :)). There are 168 hours a week. If you spend 40 hours a week working and 56 hours sleeping (cause we all need 8 hours of sleep, don’t we), there are still 72 hours left! It’s almost two more full-time jobs here.

So, with this in mind, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of how to improve your time balance.

If you think you don’t have time outside of work

If you feel like you don’t have time outside of work to live life, I highly recommend you start keeping a time journal. Write down how you spend your time. How much time do you actually work? How much time do you spend on social media? Watching movies or series? Sleeping? Exercising? Commuting?

Write everything down and see what happens. It’s good to track for at least a few weeks to see the trend.

Once you have a good picture, it’s time to put on your “solutions” hat and analyze the results. If you spend more than 40 hours a week working and you are paid 40 hours, it’s time to set boundaries and limit your working time.

While working long hours might be the case for many, some of us will see something different in the data. We might realize we are working less than 40 hours (sorry, employers, it’s what it is). If this is you, it might be time to change your perspective. Chances are, you are not working too much. You just didn’t realize how you were spending your time.

If you feel tired after work

If your problem is that you are tired after work, there are a few things you can do:

• Find out why you are so tired. There are 6 factors that can impact your energy. Find out which one has the biggest impact and focus on removing the impact.
• Ask your manager whether you can have a different working time. Maybe you write better after dinner. It might be possible to log off at 3 PM for a nice and fun afternoon and then log back in at 8 PM to do a bit of writing.
• Make sure you are not taking too much outside of work. It might be possible for your family to help with housework, or you can even hire help.

The most powerful tool

By now, you know what work-life balance is and how you can improve yours. How about the tool, you ask?

Here it is. The most powerful application to help you improve your work-life balance.

Drum rolls, please….

Your Calendar!

Yes, you read it right. Your calendar is your most powerful tool when it comes to having a good work-life balance.

As I mentioned earlier, the term work-life balance is incorrect. What we are really talking about here are priorities and values. And guess what? Your calendar reflects your priorities and values.

If your daughter has a recital, is it on your calendar? Is it blocked in your work calendar as time OOO?

How about your workout? Is it booked as a sacred appointment you keep with yourself?

What will your calendar show me if I check it?

I know. “Anna, but it’s impossible. I have meetings. People message me. I manage people!!!” Yes, I know. Give it a try, though.

Book an hour off for lunch and a walk (from 12 PM to 1 PM), and then stick to it. If someone tries to message you or schedule a meeting, tell them you are unavailable.

Give it a try and see what happens.

SPOILER ALERT: They will message you later or schedule the meeting for another time!

If you want work-life balance, your calendar is your best friend. It’s time to:

1. Make sure your calendar reflects your working hours.
2. Bookend your days by adding activities for the beginning of the day and end of the day
3. Review your priorities for both work and life and make sure they are reflected in your calendar. If you need to prepare for an important presentation at work, book times in your calendar to prepare. If you want to improve your physical well-being, book your workout in your calendar.
4. Once your priorities are reflected in your calendar, stick to them. Have a very clear rule on what constitutes an emergency worth changing your pre-defined schedule.
5. Plan your calendar at least once a week. Friday afternoons are great for booking the following week. And if things are very hectic and people quickly fill up your calendar, plan 2 weeks in advance.
6. Once you know you have a commitment for work or outside of work, put it on your calendar. Even if it’s months from now.

The last thing you need to know about time balance

Work-life balance is a mirage. Yet, you can live life on your terms and based on your values and priorities.

You do this by getting crystal clear on what matters for you both at work and in other areas of life and reflecting your priorities and values in your calendar.

If an activity or event is important, put it in your calendar as soon as possible and keep the appointments sacred. Don’t allow others to dictate how you spend your time.

It’s doable. You can take control of your life through your calendar. Give it a try, and let me know how it goes.

Actually, share your own thoughts about and experience with managing your time in the comments below.