Balancing Work and Life

While we are all looking for "balance of life", few know where to find it. The digital age has brought about significant changes in the way we work and live, and it is as if our work and home lives have morphed into a never ending list of commitments from the boardroom to the soccer field. People have become so disorganized; those few who know where the are suppose to be and what they are suppose to be doing outperform the rest.

Time management has become a critical job skill, and lack of organization can be a trigger of tremendous stress, and poor health. Our minds are capable of processing a tremendous volume of information, which is why we often wake up in the middle of the night thinking about the important details we have missed. This happens because our subconscious has much more capacity than our conscious mind, which results in inner conflict when we have missed our commitments.

Here are some practical recommendations for managing your time and optimizing your effectiveness:

Manage your energy effectively. If you wish to contain the number of hours you work, make sure they are as productive as possible. Make sure you are eating well and exercising at least 3 times per week, and make sure you are getting enough sleep. Alcohol and caffeine are proven to disrupt sleeping patterns, so drink modestly during the week and balance cardio, stretching and resistance work outs to reduce stress. Green tea is a great alternative to coffee and soda as it balances out your energy and mood swings. To improve your metabolism and sustain energy by stabilizing your blood sugar, eat meals of no more then 400 calories every 4-5 hours and drink lots of water.

Hire and retain the best talent available. Senior executives should spend 80% of their time with customers and developing direct reports. If you are reacting to problems and serve as the primary problem solver in your organization, you have the wrong people on the bus. The most effective leaders are generally very strong delegators. C-level executives should be strategic thinkers, investing in developing long term systems, processes and product/services that will sustain long term growth. Concentrate on hiring and developing people who can manage sales, and day to day operations. Failure to succeed in the war on talent will drain your company and your time.

Set limits on your role. Define which decisions you expect to make and which you expect others to make, and stick to the script.

Find dedicated time for planning and thought leadership. I have always been the first to arrive to my office, because I cherish at least 30-60 minutes of focused time to complete projects without phone calls and distractions. If you are not an early bird, find a couple of hours a week of quiet time and let your staff know you are not to be interrupted while your door is closed, unless there is a legitimate emergency. Always have a book or magazine with you and take advantage of down time on planes and at car washes.

Plan productive meetings. Require that the meetings you attend be productive. Participants should come prepared and an agenda should be used with clear deliverables articulated and documented. Generally, meetings should start and end on time, be completed in an hour and be scheduled in advance.

Use an appropriate planning system. Use a planning system (such as Franklin Covey) and/or PDA religiously. Track every action and every detail on a list. You may not cover every item on the list but knowing that you have the list will reduce your stress. Every day, plan your work for the following day and track it in your planner. For me, I have found that having both a planner (for notes and tasks) and a PDA (for dates and appointments) to be the most effective system but many people are effective using one tool.

Schedule time in your planner for personal and health commitments. When we manage time ineffectively, we often do not eat and exercise as well. To counteract this, schedule workout time in your planner, and keep to your exercise regiment. Schedule time in advance for those things you never get to such as your child's sports practices or performances, and honor the commitment as if it were a meeting. Have your employees do the same!