Cheryl Stein on Work/Life Balance
by Cheryl Stein
Monster Personal Coach
Sometimes You Just Can’t...
We all want to love what we do. We are of a generation and time where we truly believe that we deserve to go to work and feel great doing it. Unlimited self-help books tell us that work shouldn’t feel like work. It should feel like play and if it doesn’t, then we aren’t doing the right thing. This is a truly worthy goal and I strongly urge people to try to move mountains to get to a place where they can absolutely enjoy each and every workday.
But sometimes, some people, no matter how much they would like to make a change are just plain stuck. They have responsibilities that are overwhelming and have to think about others before they think about themselves. I want to be very clear here. I am not talking about the people that have options but tell themselves that they don’t because they are scared to change. I am talking about the people that are actually faced with a situation with no way out. These people may need more than love to get themselves out of their current situations. They need a miracle.
People who are not in a position to make major changes in their lives have to be creative about the way that they look at their situations in order to feel like they are making progress toward living a more fulfilling life.
I have seen clients who do not have a free minute in their day. Some of them are single parents who must shoulder the entire burden of their family. Others are part of the sandwich generation- looking after aging parents and young children at the same time. Others have been in some financial trouble and have not been free to make career moves. People like this get locked into thinking that there isn’t a single thing that they can do to improve their lives. While it’s true that there are times when trying to get that dream job isn’t possible, but little changes always are.
Small Effort for Big Impact
Let’s say that your dream job has something to do with the outdoors. Is there a way to add your love of the outside to your daily routine? It could be the addition of a daily walk during your lunch hour, or even walking to work. Maybe you can commit to some time outside on the weekend. A camping trip, a bike ride, a hike in the country or cross-country skiing are some things that can be added to make you feel better. If work is too far, try parking your car a few blocks away to force yourself to get a little fresh air.
If you are lacking creativity in your work life, maybe there is a way to spice up your life with an art class, a dance class, a wine tasting class, a trip to the museum, theatre tickets, concert tickets, or a night out to listening to live music.
Try not to tell yourself that it has to be all or nothing. A little change or addition can make the rest of life bearable.
Cheryl Stein is an Associate Certified Coach and Principal at Stein Consulting & Coaching.