Being able to achieve a balance between work and personal life has gained much awareness recently. With more individuals seeking to create separation between a productive business profession and an enjoyable personal life, more individuals are looking to create a life that is meaningful to them, and that caters to their professional and personal needs.
But is such a balance possible?
Can you actually balance work and personal life effectively by simply following the right scheduling practices? [tweet this]
The truth is that at times, work will be a priority and at others your personal life will take precedence. Regardless of what your decision is, it is made based on what you determine is important in your life at the time.
The value of the moment
What you value at a given point in time is specific to you. Your priorities are what matter to you and are ultimately what will guide and keep you focused on finding the right balance at the time. The value of the moment decides whether you need to focus on personal or business matters.
It is at such times that you ask questions such as: Does a given situation ultimately matter to your personal brand? Will a certain decision affect your ultimate goals and objectives? Is this important to you? Defining your own personal balance can only be determined by your own desire. And when you know what you want, it’s that much easier to decide which direction to take.
No regrets
Remember that time isn’t something you can get back once you’ve made use of it. Whether it was spent the way you wanted or not, the point here is to be able to move on without regret. If you find yourself looking back, you won’t be able to focus on making the right choices in the present time and future.
Not regretting the time spent means you have to consider the opportunity cost by going in a certain direction. Will such a decision at the time set you back or move you forward? What word of mouth advantages will it achieve? Does your personal brand exude that you have your priorities well established- both personal and professional? These are all things you should think through as you make decisions that affect your personal and business life.
Versatility
Being more versatile in terms of skills, knowledge, and ability will mean more opportunities will come your way. Though we all have our specialties, and investing time to better professional skills can draw away from our personal lives, what are you willing to invest and what will it garner in terms of both personal and professional advantages.
Finding balance in your life isn’t something that should be left to a weekly calendar/schedule. It isn’t a calculable equation that anyone can copy the answers off of. The perfect balance comes at the right moment. It’s about focusing on what’s important to move you towards your personal and professional goal at any given time.
Author:
Maria Elena Duron, is managing editor of the Personal Branding Blog, CEO (chief engagement officer) of buzz2bucks– a word of mouth marketing firm, and a professional speaker and trainer on developing social networks that work. She provides workshops, webinars, seminars and direct services that help create conversation, connection, credibility, community and commerce around your brand. Maria Duron is founder and moderator of #brandchat – a weekly Twitter chat focused on every aspect of branding that is recognized by Mashable as one the 15 Essential Twitter Chats for Social Media Marketers.
