Written by: Janifer Wheeler, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Work and life balance have always been like a mission impossible; especially for busy
entrepreneurs. Most of the time, you know when your life is out of balance – but what can
you do?
There are several indicators that your life is out of balance. If you’re wondering what work-life
imbalance looks like and what you can do to take your life back, keep reading!
Work-life Imbalance Symptoms
You constantly feel rushed and as though something important is missing from your schedule. This leads to second-guessing yourself, anxiety about forgetting something or feeling “caught off guard”.
You have difficulties finishing what you’ve started. You may be distracting yourself by starting new projects or tasks that seem easier at the moment, but are really just another form of procrastination.
There’s no clear sense of priorities in your life – everything seems equally important and urgent and hard to manage.
You don’t get enough sleep or your sleep is interrupted with thoughts of your excessively long To-Do list. This leads to feelings of low energy and exhaustion. You may also be snappish and irritable.
You feel overwhelmed by the demands that life puts on you, and everything feels wrong.
What are the Effects of Poor Work/Life Balance?
Work-life imbalance can make you sick because it contributes to chronic stress. When you are
chronically stressed out, your mind and body are more likely to be in constant fight, flight or
freeze mode. This is why it’s hard to focus, prioritize or figure out what to do next.
Your brain may suggest some weird or dangerous solutions. For example, when I was in the
midst of my burnout experience, I seriously considered what it would be like to fall down a
flight of concrete stairs or have a minor car accident. All in hopes that I could just get an
opportunity to rest, relax and recover from the stress.
In simple words: Your body and brain do not function well when they perceive that something
is wrong in your environment. You cannot think clearly, which can lead to unhealthy decisions.
Work-Life Balance Strategies
The hardest part is awareness and it seems like you’ve got this one!
It’s hard to solve something if you don’t admit there’s a problem. Looking at the different
areas where you might be spending more time than necessary will lead to a solution. It could
be work, school, social engagements, or even hobbies.
Once you are aware of the areas that are demanding more time or attention than they should,
it’s time to start prioritizing more effectively
Get a pen and paper. Technology is great, but when it comes to productivity, the act of
physically writing things down is so much better!
Make a list of everything you are currently doing in both your life and biz.
Evaluate each task. How much JOY or value does this bring to your life or business?
What would happen if you stopped doing it?
If something feels like an obligation, it’s probably not worth your time.
Achieving more does not mean working more.
Delegation is a big component of achieving that balance. Click here to learn about my Joy-Money-Micro. On Demand!
Janifer Wheeler, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Janifer Wheeler is a former teacher-turned productivity-preneur! She’s spent over 25 years helping schools & small businesses get their shift together through process design, internal structure, education, and workplace culture. After realizing that the productivity industry was missing the most essential element - JOY- she decided to advocate for JOYFull alignment and create strategies that work in our digital-everything world.
She facilitates a method that ensures you are working in your JoyFull Zone of Genius more than you aren’t. She will help you create the process, structure and workplace culture you need to effectively and efficiently build a team that will help you avoid business owner burnout and realize the goals & dreams you set for yourself.
