Create a Work/Life Balance

Many of the principles of project management can be applied to putting together a life plan. Leisure time refreshes you and makes you more effective at work, so find the right balance between work and life.

Assess Your Position

Project team members often have two jobs – to achieve their operating targets and play a role in one or more projects. This makes it difficult to maintain a balance between work and play. Without such a balance, work can become stressful and family life impoverished. Work out the balance that suits you. Start from what you are trying to achieve overall and look at three aspects:

• Objectives – What are trying to achieve both inside and outside work?

• Strategy – How are you going to go about achieving those objectives?

• Relationships – Which relationships are important?

Techniques to Practise

In an ideal world, each working day would be a delight. To make that happen you need to practise a positive mental attitude.

Recognizing the good things about your life and your job will make you feel more positive about the humdrum.

• Make a list of the positive things in your life.

• Add ten items on the first day, 20 on the second, and so on.

• Read your list every morning and think of more things that you could add to it.

• Consider how many things you have to be grateful for.

Improve the Balance

Decide how much time you want to spend on each aspect of your life – work, family time, hobbies and sport, self-development, entertainment. How far is the reality of your life from the ideal you aspire to?

Strike a Balance

Plan to adjust from the current situation to your ideal. The main balance is between life and work. Focus fully when you are at work, but set aside sufficient time for living.

Use Your Leisure Time

If you enjoy sport, make sure you set aside a regular time to participate. Allowing work to prevent you doing so will increase your stress levels.

Make Time for What Matters

Try not to allow the demands of your job or your career prevent you from spending time with your family and being there for important events.