What If We Change The Question?
Many leaders like you are no longer willing to settle for feeling overwhelmed every day, sacrificing being present with your family or enjoying your personal time, or burning out from trying to keep up with it all.
But you might have no idea how to slow down the pace and take back control of your time when the demands keep coming, and the expectations are higher.
Unexpected things keep happening in the week, like an employee getting sick, your kids being sent home from school, or a big project added to your plate.
And you feel guilty when you are working late to catch up and you feel guilty when you make your personal time the priority, worrying that you'll fall behind.
Because you also have a deep desire to perform at a high level, you care about doing a good job and serving your team, and want to feel a sense of accomplishment.
Am I right?
It is OK and healthy to want to be successful in your career AND have space and presence for other areas of your life. To want to feel good, enjoy your life, AND knock it out of the park in your role.
With the phrase "work-life balance," it's not work and then you have a life. Work IS a part of your life and an essential part of your well-being too.
So, we need to change questions that commonly come up like, "How do I get more done in my day?" or "How do I achieve more?" or "How do I slow down?"
To instead:
"What would it look like if I was successful in my work AND had the time and presence with my family that I want?"
"How do I want to feel and live my life?"
“What could be possible if I _______________?”
When we change the question, we change what's possible. This opens you up to a new way to think and approach your days such as . . .
- being clear on what is essential and making meaningful progress on THAT (and saying no to the rest)
- keeping strong boundaries to protect your time and energy
- practicing mindfulness to focus your attention in a helpful way and be present
- feeling good and energized throughout your day instead of overwhelmed and exhausted
- having confidence and trusting yourself to take a stand for what you want
- connecting with more patience and presence with the people around you
- thriving instead of just surviving each day (yes, even when you are struggling)
It comes with not settling for the way things are, saying enough is enough, and commit to figuring it out. And being kind to yourself and granting yourself grace when things don't go the way you want (I for sure have those days too).
What Next?
Wherever you are on your journey, I'm here to support you in the way that works best for you!
Discover how great leaders who have it all - great life balance AND high performance - operate behind the scenes. Click here to access this Free Training.
When you're ready for the next step to work together to create balance in your life without sacrificing performance, book a complimentary call and we can see if "The Balanced Leader" coaching program is the right fit for YOU. I also offer speaking presentations, workshops and programs tailored to support you and your team. Book a complimentary call or contact me here.
You can also follow me on your favorite social media platform LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook for more ideas, inspiration, and real-life lessons and moments. I hang out mostly on LinkedIn!
Stacey L. Olson is a Certified Positive Psychology Coach and has 15 years of corporate experience. She works with leaders and professionals who want to create more balance, stress less, AND still perform at a high level. Stacey is the founder of the 'The Balanced Leader' coaching program and offers executive and leadership coaching, workshops, and speaking.
