For many high achievers, career success and relationships with people are mutually exclusive – you can only have one but not the other at the same time. They maintain that to be truly successful in your career, you have to sacrifice your social life. A strong relationship on the other hand could only be achieved at the expense of your work. This isn’t necessarily so. By putting enough effort towards your career and the people significant to you, it is possible to have tremendous success in both aspects and a work-life balance. The relationship shouldn’t get in the way of your aspirations and the other way around.
Work Life Balance Defined
To high-achievers, figuring out how to balance work and life can be hard. Being able to effectively manage both career and relationship is the measure of true success and work-life balance, which involves the following:
- Doing fulfilling work that they enjoy
- The feeling of making a difference in the work they do
- Working towards ambitious goals
- Achieving great outlier success
- Having healthy relationships with family and friends
- Being present at the moment, focused on what matters
- Having it all
Work Life Balance Tips
You can strive to achieve work-life balance without denying your high achiever identity by following the tips below:
- Know what drives you. Understand your motivation for being a high achiever and why the idea of achievement is so important to you. Ask yourself the following. What do you truly care about? What is your personal and professional mission for redefining success? Where is the achiever mentality coming from? What does it bring you?
- Understand what you’re trying to achieve. Develop a clear vision, identify the big priorities, and focus on making those priorities happen. Fulfill your objectives as an individual and role as a broader team in the organization. Think about what your career success brings and how it will affect your personal and family life. Understand where the work you’re doing fits into your broader vision as a human being.
- Focus on where you spend your time and energy. You can have the things that matter to you if you are intentional about how you spend your time. With limited time, pursue your clear vision for the business and know what to put to one side. By moving the needle on your most important priorities, you can make progress and get there over time.
- Work smarter, not harder. Find ways to make things easier to get the results. You can outsource tasks where possible to someone who can do them faster, better, or cheaper.
Work Life Balance Benefits
Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is crucial for overall well-being and success. In today’s fast-paced and demanding world, finding harmony between work responsibilities and personal life can be challenging but is essential. Here are some benefits of work-life balance:
- Enhanced Physical and Mental Health
- Reduced Stress: Maintaining a work life balance is crucial for managing stress. Continual stress from work can result in burnout, a likelihood of experiencing health issues and even physical health complications. By setting time for self care, pursuing hobbies and cherishing moments with loved ones to balance work and life, individuals can effectively reduce stress levels and embrace a sense of relaxation.
- Improved Mental Health: Making time for activities, beyond work, such as exercising, pursuing hobbies and socializing can have an effect on our well being. Participating in activities that bring us happiness and fulfillment can uplift our mood, alleviate anxiety and depression and contribute to a mental state.
- Enhanced Physical Well-being: Maintaining a balance between work and personal life enables individuals to prioritize their well being. It becomes easier to incorporate exercise, get rest, and dedicate time to prepare meals when work responsibilities are in harmony with personal commitments. This in turn leads to increased energy levels, decreased susceptibility to illnesses, and an overall improved quality of life.
- Stronger Relationships
- Quality Time with Loved Ones: Juggling the demands of work and ensuring time to spend with family and friends is crucial for fostering relationships. Showing up and being there for life milestones, joyous occasions, and the little everyday happenings help build a solid support system consisting of cherished loved ones.
- Improved Communication: During periods of work obligations, it can become challenging to dedicate time and energy to maintain strong communication with our loved ones. However, it is crucial to prioritize achieving a work life balance in order to foster effective communication. By doing so, we can cultivate an understanding, empathy and ultimately strengthen our relationships in a more wholesome manner.
- Reduced Conflict: Overworking and neglecting personal relationships can lead to conflicts and strain that destroy work life balance. Prioritizing work-life balance allows individuals to find a healthy equilibrium, reducing conflicts caused by neglecting personal needs or failing to meet the expectations of loved ones.
- Increased Productivity and Job Satisfaction
- Higher Productivity: Overworking and neglecting personal life can lead to diminished productivity and reduced focus. Conversely, maintaining a work life balance enables individuals to recharge resulting in focus, innovation and effectiveness while at work. Taking time away from work offers perspectives and revitalized motivation ultimately enhancing productivity.
- Enhanced Job Satisfaction: Striking a balance between work and personal life contributes to higher job satisfaction. When individuals experience a sense of fulfillment outside of their work it positively influences their outlook towards their job. Consequently, it fuels their motivation, engagement, and a sense of purpose ultimately resulting in increased job satisfaction and a lasting career.
- Career Growth and Success: Maintaining work-life balance supports long-term career growth and success. By establishing boundaries and giving importance to our well being we can steer clear of burnout and guarantee enduring success. This approach also opens up opportunities for growth, skill enhancement and career advancement since we are not solely fixated on work responsibilities, showing the effect of work life balance benefits.
You can be a high achiever and still be able to manage stress and achieve a healthy work-life environment. Talk to us at Uncover Mental Health Counseling to explore how you and your employees can work together to make this happen.
