Balance at work, in my opinion, starts with these 5 things:
- Authenticity/vulnerability
- Realistic routines
- Focus
- Trust
- Finding joy in your work
It means a lot of other things too, being a balanced leader (you can download my
ebook for more on that), implementing balanced policies and practices (here's a
blog on that) but to keep it simple for this guide, these are my top five.
Authenticity at Work
There’s an art to vulnerability, especially at work. Being real connects us as humans, but that doesn’t mean you need to share every nitty, gritty detail for someone to relate. If you went through something hard that you think would help someone else learn or relate more to you, share it. Share just enough to help that person get where they need to go or at least understand they aren’t alone in the journey.
An easy example of this is if you screwed up at work, and now someone you’re leading made a similar mistake, tell them you’ve been there. Empathize instead of reprimand and watch that person bloom. Feeling supported instead of scolded creates happy, healthier, (= more productive and accountable) team members 95% of the time. Here's a
blog with more on that.
Realistic Routines
If someone on my team is sitting at their computer, staring at it either spiraling about something or burnt out, are they doing good work? No. No, no, no. And please admit right now we've all been there. This takes some serious deprogramming if you've been in the corporate world your entire life but the reality is if you're sitting staring at your computer, you're not doing anyone (your company included) any favors.
I'm going to say it, screw the 8-5 mentality. Working when you feel most productive, taking breaks when you start to sit and spiral, and then come back and crush another couple hours of work—THAT my friends is balanced work. THAT will produce far higher quality work in less time. Not to mention your team will be so grateful (= accountable and loyal) to you for honoring their routines that put them at their best. I don't think I need to tell you what that means for your bottom line.
I am a morning maven. I work for at least an hour when I get up at the crack of dawn, then I take a big workout break, then I can focus, seriously focus, for a few good hours. A couple hours of focused work will run circles around 8 hours of just trying to get through. And of course I'm not the only one touting this model,
here's a fantastic take from an industry expert, Dan Sullivan, on this same topic.
Speaking of Focus
Happy, healthy brains are focused brains. Brains need breaks, quiet space for focused breathing, and genuine rest. Mindfulness helps your team better understand: 1. What is truly a break for their brain (not what we try to convince ourselves is—and that's harder than it sounds, more on that in my ebook). 2. How to slow down an unproductive thought spiral by taking even a 2 minute break to focus on breath and 3. What kind of breaks work best for them. This is so, so, different for every person—some thrive with mini breaks, some need an hour or more—mindfulness
helps us tune in to better understand what truly works for us, not just what we think should work.
Trust
In order to allow for the first 3 items on this list you absolutely have to trust your team. And they have to trust you right back. Hire people you trust enough to implement these first three practices, THEN live them yourself so that your team trusts you. Trust creates accountability, accountable people care about their work, work that is cared for will show in every inch of product you produce. And don't just take my word for it, check out the hundreds of tales of successful business people that share their story on
Masterclass. Quality work wins in the long run in every, single story they share.
Finding Joy in your Work
If you successfully live the 4 practices above you will find joy in your work. I don't care what your work is; focus, pride, and accountability in the outcome of whatever you're doing is bound to create a little joy. Not the fake kind—the authentic kind that is joyful yet raw, real, and full of ups and downs. Then you get to experience life as an Option B'er (here's my
blog on that) and then beautiful balance becomes more of your day-to-day. And productivity, profitability and all the wonderful outcomes in business life are bound to follow.
Here are a few more of my favorite books on balanced work:
10x is Easier than 2x
It Doesn't Have to be Crazy at Work
Herding Tigers
Mindset
The 6 Types of Working Genius
The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success
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