We're all interested in achieving our definition of balance. But all-too-often, the balance in our life and work is not according to our intentional design. Promote awareness and responsibility with these 5 steps.

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5 Steps to an Intentionally-
designed Work/Life Balance November 2015
We're all interested in achieving our definition of balance. But all-too-often, the balance in our life and
work is not according to our intentional design. Promote awareness and responsibility with these 5 steps.
Life and work, by design
Our work should - at least, for the most part - interest and
energise us. But it should also leave us time enough to pursue
other interests. Because we perform best when we're in balance.
Balance means different things to different people - and at
different points in their lives and careers. As your coach, I
respect whatever balance you feel is right for you - just so long
as it's one of your intentional design and choosing.
All-too-often, though, our balance is not of our conscious design.
So here are 5 thoughts to promote awareness and responsibility
in us; and help us to achieve a more intentionally-designed
balance.
#1 Don't live the deferred life. Things are really
hectic now, but it'll be different next year. I'll do that at-home
project when I'm on top of work. All this hard work now will pay-
off soon - and then I'll really spend some quality time with
family/friends/loved-ones. Sound familiar? Don't live the deferred
life. Ask: what am I foregoing in the present?
Do what you always wanted to do, right now.
#2 Create a work/life balance goal. Not just a
vague "oh yeah, I need to do that" goal. A written-out, well-
formed goal that you make part of your other goal work and that
you schedule-in to your routines. Then give it the attention it
deserves.
Treat your balance with the same importance and
dedication you would your work and your goals.
#3 Go looking for fulfilment outside work.
Whatever it is that we're finding (more) fulfilling at work can be a
clue to what’s not happening outside of work. Perhaps we're
overly focused on work because that gives us a sense of
satisfaction - or community, or challenge, or momentum, or
whatever - that we're not getting from life outside work. Think
about your values most-expressed at work. Use that evidence.
Start a non-work project or activity that expresses your
values.
#4 Point self-discipline at what you do want
to do. Most often, "self-discipline" is thought of as that which
gets us through the less desirable tasks. The things we would
ordinarily postpone or procrastinate over. But what if we re-
thought self-discipline to be about "forcing" ourselves to focus
on non-work? What would you push yourself to do differently?
What would you start doing? What would you stop?
Use your self-discipline to focus on … you.
#5 Remember: you are not your work. Many of
us are so committed, that soon our work begins to define our
entire identity. But we are not our work. It no-doubt forms a
portion of our identity. But there are many other ingredients in
the mix that make-up our whole self. Go looking for your non-
work identity everywhere and anywhere.
Have the source of your identity be many things.