For a Balanced Life, Prioritise PEACE
In my “other” life, I work with high-functioning, very successful professionals who seek to improve their health, interpersonal skills, goal achievement and their professional performance. And the quest to achieve balance in work and life is a topic under constant discussion.
Busy professionals are especially susceptible to allowing pursuit of career achievement to “crowd-out” other important areas of their life.
So I have created a checklist of sorts, for my clients to keep front-of-mind, to help them assess whether the scales are tipping too far in one direction or another:
P E A C E
P: Your Physical health
What are you doing to support your physical health? Are you getting enough sleep, making nutritious food choices, are you engaging in physical activity and breaking up your sitting time?
E: Your Emotional wellbeing
Are you checking in with yourself to assess your mood and mental health? Are you doing the things you need to do to support your mental health (getting enough sleep, minimising or avoiding alcohol, choosing nutritious food instead of junk, and getting regular exercise)? Are you engaging in regular stress management practices? Are you getting help of and when you need it?
A: Achievement of your goals
This is the one that my Type A, high-achieving clients have no trouble with! But if you need a little help with achievement of your goals, check out THIS, THIS, THIS, and THIS post!
C: Connecting with friends, family, my community, nature and/or your spirituality
Humans are social animals with a strong need for meaning and connection. It is so SO important to make sure we prioritise time to spend with our friends and loved ones. And to do the things that make you feel awe and wonder, like spending time in nature. I write more about this HERE.
E: The things you Enjoy and which bring you joy
Achievement-oriented, goal-focussed, time-poor, people can feel very uncomfortable with the idea of doing something for no other reason than the fact that they enjoy it. There is NOTHING wrong with doing something “unproductive” if it is enjoyable, relaxing or brings you joy! In fact, this can be a key element of maintaining good mental and emotional wellbeing! I wrote about this HERE. So make sure you identify those “unproductive” things that bring you joy, and schedule time for them in your calendar!