Top Ways to Balance Life and Work

Four of my five children have been cross country runners in middle school and high school (the other one is into competitive ballroom dance). All of them have learned the importance of pacing to maximize their effectiveness. The same rules apply in life try to be successful in our efforts at work life balance.

One of my favorite stories from management guru and mentor Stephen Covey is about the gracious way his wife has learned to say "no" to the mountain of requests she gets to help with worthy causes. Work life balance cannot be successful without effective priority setting. Learn ways to set priorities on the things that matter most and to say "no" to the things that matter least.

Sometimes, the things that suffer in our busy lives have to do with our own personal health. Fast food, while a convenient time saver, can lead to weight and health problems. Managing your personal health is essential to balancing work and life. Find out the keys to improving and maintaining your personal health and wellness.

Speaking of the importance of health and wellness to finding balance in your life, it's important to stay in touch with your physician as well. Review our checkups calendar to see if it is time for a physical, and what kinds of questions and tests you should anticipate and expect. Being informed about your health is an important part of work life balance.

If you have already found yourself in an addictive pattern with your job, it is time to get out of that habit and commit more time at home. Learn the warning signs of workaholism and the best ways to climb out of that rut so you can find yourself at home more and make more time for better work life balance.

Life tends to get pretty complex, especially for fathers trying to balance so many demands. I was inspired recently by a friend and his wife who set about to simplify their lives and to make more time for the things that were really important to them. He felt that his life and work had never been more balanced than when he started to simplify. This article talks about the whys and hows of getting back to a simpler approach to daily living.

I am always inspired when I read about workplaces that recognize that their employees are real people with real needs - that they are "humans" not just "human resources." Find out how to identify and select an employer which will be friendly to your family commitments and support your work life balance priorities.

We have always tried in our family to make sure we eat at least one meal a day together. It doesn't always work, but we try hard. Learn more about the work life balance benefits and methods for making a mealtime together work for your family.

Feeling like you need a little emotional support or connection with other dads? Being a part of a fathers' group can help you find ideas for better work life balance and for reducing the stress of parenthood.

For many years, our family has set aside one night a week to be together - no interruptions, no excuses. We have modified work schedules, set aside other demands and spent the evening together. Find out why the family night concept works and how to make it happen in your family.