10 Tips for Your Quest to Work/Life Harmony

If you’ve watched any of my YouTube videos or follow any of my social media, then you likely know my dislike for the term “work/life balance” by now. Instead, I prefer to use the phrase “work/life harmony” with my clients. Where the term “balance” indicates a splitting of things, and a search for that elusive “perfect middle”, the term “harmony” brings a more peaceful option.

Work/life harmony is the integration of all areas of your life, pulling them into a harmonious, unique blend of what makes your life so unique. It allows one person to have a larger focus on family, while another person might find more harmony by having a larger focus on volunteering. Instead of searching for a balance between your different life areas, you are instead encouraged to find how they can integrate in the best ways.

Another reason that I like the term “harmony” is that it is more fluid. Given that our phases of life can change overnight – whether with the birth of a child, a loss of a loved one, a layoff from work – trying to maintain an unrealistic balance is made even more difficult and overwhelming.

Harmony, on the other hand, can mean many things. There is no requirement for things to weigh the same. Sometimes, more time with family or on self-care is required. Sometimes, we need more dedicated focus on careers. There is no one-size-fits-all situation.

Given my preference for work/life harmony, and my joy when my clients realize what that means for them, I wanted to share my top 10 tips for achieving work/life harmony, no matter what phase of life you are in.

1. Define Your Priorities: Get crystal clear on what matters most to you. Understanding your priorities lays the foundation for aligning your actions with your values and aspirations. This is where I always recommend my Work/Life Areas Assessment. The assessment can help you determine your overall satisfaction in each area, as well as build self-awareness in what you find important.
2. Leverage Technology Wisely: Be intentional about how you use technology. Set boundaries to prevent digital distractions from hijacking your time and energy, but also to prevent your work life from overtaking your personal or family life. Technology can be a great thing when we are using it intentionally and with the right purpose. Only you can decide what that means for you. Make sure that you are taking breaks from it to keep your energy levels up and to focus on those important things you defined in point 1.
3. Learn to Say No Gracefully: Master the art of declining commitments that don't align with your priorities. Saying no empowers you to protect your time and focus on what truly matters. This doesn’t mean you can’t sometimes say yes to helping people out. Like technology, become intentional with what types of activities and people you are okay with saying yes to. Just remember, if they start to interfere with your priorities, you might want to reassess your commitment to “yes”.
4. Define Realistic Boundaries: Establish healthy boundaries to safeguard your time and energy. Recognize activities that drain you versus those that replenish you. We can’t always avoid the tasks and people that drain our energy, but we can prioritize self-care and energizing tasks when needed. Also, by recognizing what drained you during the day, you can also reflect on whether there are tasks that need to be delegated to others so that you can protect your peace and continue doing the work and activities that bring you joy.
5. Schedule Focus Time: Dedicate uninterrupted blocks of time to tackle important tasks. Minimize distractions and immerse yourself in focused, productive work. This includes leveraging technology wisely. Mute your phone (warn your loved ones or coworkers you may be unavailable), turn off your internet, close your door … determine what steps you need to take to keep your blocked time distraction free. Even if it’s only in 15-minute blocks.
6. Embrace Flexibility and the Unknown: Embrace the unpredictable nature of life and work. Nothing will go perfect, so why strive for perfection? Embrace the path of progress and work on improving your adaptability and resilience to navigate challenges as they come. Aim for your desired outcome or goal “post”. Even if you can only make a small step at a time, you are still moving in the right direction. Keep going.
7. Take Breaks Daily: We all can get “into the groove” and want to keep working through our lunch breaks, but that can cause even larger drains to our energy. Besides – haven’t you ever wondered why you get your best ideas in the shower? It’s because you are taking a break, forcing your brain to focus on something else. There is also something about neuroscience and changes in body temperature, but the point it – intentional breaks can make you more productive int he long-term. Prioritize regular breaks to recharge and rejuvenate. Step away from work, indulge in activities that replenish your energy, and return refreshed and refocused. If you are worried about “losing your flow”, write down the next 3 steps you were planning to take before you go on your break.
8. Practice Mindful Transitions: Transition mindfully between tasks to maintain clarity and momentum. Whether it’s meditating or just taking a few deep breaths, you don’t want to carry the energy from the previous task or meeting into the next. Pause, even if for only 1 minute, to relax your mind, close-out the previous task, and start fresh before the next.
9. Embrace Your Whole Identity: We need to stop compartmentalizing our lives. We aren’t made to be a “work self”, then a “parent self”, then a “hobby self”. Integrate all facets of your identity into your life authentically. Reject the notion of changing who you are depending on where you are or who you are with. Strive to be your true, multifaceted self everywhere.
10. Prioritize Self-Care: Make self-care a non-negotiable part of your routine. Invest time and energy into activities that nourish your body, mind, and soul, ensuring you're equipped to show up fully in all areas of your life. Write a list of things you consider self-care, whether they take 10 minutes or a few hours. Then fit them into your schedule wherever you can. If you know you are going to have a particularly stressful week, try to fit in more self-care to keep that harmony.

By implementing these tips, you can join me on this journey to achieving work/life harmony. Embrace the path of progress, as the journey is where all the fun is anyway.

Do you have any other tips that help you feel in harmony?