The modern world we live in makes many demands on us.  Sometimes it seems as if the pressure to do more, be more, and produce more never stops.  It is not surprising, then, that the balance between work and private life is tricky to maintain.

How do you know when your work/life balance needs adjustment?  We have put together a list of common problem indicators, along with suggestions for making changes.

1.  Not enough sleep

This is one of the most common signs of imbalance.  While most people have an occasional busy time where they do not get enough sleep, when it occurs regularly you should pay attention.

Look at why you are not sleeping enough.  Some possibilities include:

• Trying to cram too many things into your schedule
• Lack of focus on tasks during the day
• Poor planning and execution
• Trying to be “super mom” or “super dad”
• Setting unreasonable expectations for yourself
• Setting unreasonable expectations for others
• Over commitment of your time

When considering these things, go beyond the surface and give careful consideration to root causes.  For example, if you are constantly working extra long hours just to meet deadlines, think about the underlying causes.

Do you need to plan projects with longer deadlines?   Do you procrastinate?  Do you manage your time poorly?  When you uncover the root causes of problems, you are better able to make corrections.

2.  Forgetfulness

We all forget things now and then, but when it becomes a regular occurrence, you should pay attention.  Maybe you have trouble remembering what time to pick up the kids, or forget about meetings until the very last minute.  Consistently forgetting things is a sign that should not be ignored.

Start with a visit to your doctor.  There are many medical reasons that forgetfulness might occur, such as depression, anxiety, vitamin deficiencies, pregnancy, migraines, etc.  Drug interactions can also make you more forgetful.

Once you have ruled out medical issues, look at other areas of your life.  Sometimes forgetfulness can be corrected simply by making “to do” lists and keeping to a schedule.

Other times it is due to tiredness, emotional distress, major life changes, or grief, all of which are underlying causes that you can address.

3.  Anxiety and depression

These are medical conditions that can afflict anyone, regardless of their work/life balance.  It is common, though, to find work/life imbalance as a contributing cause for both conditions. 

If you find yourself dealing with anxiety and/or depression, it is important to seek both medical attention and counseling.  Some people benefit from medication as well as talk therapy, while others find that talk therapy is the best way to find a better balance in their life.

4.  Disappearing friendships

This is another common occurrence for people whose lives are out of balance.  It happens most often when either part of life – work or personal – begins to take over and consume most of your time.  As a result, you find yourself spending less and less time with friends who previously were a part of your life.

This usually happens gradually, so you may not realize it is happening right away, but at some point you look around and discover that your important friendships have faded.

The best way to deal with this is to identify where and why your life is out of balance enough that it interferes with friendships.  If it seems there is never enough time to spend with friends, for example, reserve some time on your schedule so that nothing else interferes.  Set aside one lunch per week to spend with one of your friends, or plan a weekly coffee break.

Another great way to keep friendships healthy is to make them a part of your regular exercise routine.  Maybe you take a walk with a friend each week, or meet at the health club at a particular time.

5.  Poor work performance

There are many reasons for poor work performance, and most people are surprised to find out that life balance issues are one of them.  Working too much is often a central part of the balance problems so you would think that work performance would be acceptable.  The opposite, however, is often the reality.  Just because a person works long hours does not mean that he or she is more productive or performing to standards.

If you find yourself struggling to perform acceptably at work, do a careful examination of why that is the case.  Are you spending so much time there that you are losing focus or motivation?  Are you so focused on your personal life that you are not paying enough attention to the needs of your job?  Whatever reason you identify, if it has to do with work/life balance they you need to take steps to correct it.

Summary

Remember that every person has their own unique needs and own unique methods of achieving a healthy balance between work and private life.  Some people require more personal time to “recharge” their energy, while others gain energy from focusing on work.  There is no single right answer to the question of what is the appropriate work/life balance.  You have to determine that for yourself, and once you think you have it about right you have to maintain it for yourself.

Do not punish yourself if your work/life balance is a bit out of sorts.  After all, nobody strikes a perfect balance all of the time.  Just pay attention to your own needs and make slight corrections here and there as needed.  You will quickly find that it is easier to make several small corrections than it is to wait until larger, more serious adjustments are needed.

About the author - Julie-Ann Amos is an international freelance writer who also runs a ghost and copy writing agency, www.ExquisiteWriting.com.

She has a managerial and personal development background, and has a deep commitment to assisting people in home and work situations to resolve situations with integrity. She lives in the UK.

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