Human Science
Reinvent Learning
Moovs Media
“I regret that I haven’t been on vacation more often, haven’t spent more time with my family and that I’ve worked too hard”. While on vacation, I read an inspiring book that contained this statement. It is in the top 3 of statements that people make on their deathbed. Every time I think again: how can I keep those holiday vibes? I don’t think that’s possible and a long vacation would also get boring in the long run. Research from positive psychology confirms this and indicates that people want to use their talents in order to contribute to a greater whole. The workplace is a very suitable environment for this. What is possible is to achieve a nice life balance? Read here 3 tips on how to do that.
- Integrate ‘life’ into work
How can you bring a little more ‘life’ into your working day, so that you are not completely exhausted in the evening? Of course you want to focus during your working day, and also time for yourself in the evening, but why not try to make the working day a little bit more fun?Here’s some inspiration: Start your day a little later, (or get up early), and get some exercise or do a 7-minute workout in between appointments. Schedule a work appointment with a colleague at a nice cafe nearby or do the 1 -on- 1 meetings on foot. Pre-cut the vegetables for dinner during your break. Allow yourself to stare out the window for 5 minutes and do nothing. Listen to an inspiring podcast on your way to work. Do you have to go to another city for work? Visit a museum there for an hour. Recently I exchanged my working day at home for a working day in a summer house. It felt fantastic!
- Become a great planner and create good habits
When planning, don’t stick to a mega to-do list, but plan realistically the tasks over the days. To do so, you feel good when you get rid of most to do’s (the 80/20 rule of Pareto helps you to focus on that 20% of your time that produces 80% of the result). Also plan for preparation-, travel-, and processing time and take interruptions in account. Start in the morning with your most important task and set timers, so you don’t get stuck in perfectionistic behavior (choose in which situations it is necessary to go to 100% and in which 80% is sufficient).Tip: Plan time for yourself, even if it are just small things and make it concrete. On the plane to your holiday destination, they also say: put the oxygen mask on yourself first. For example, start your day with 15 minutes of meditation. You are helping yourself by integrating good habits into your life, because of that less willpower is needed and a nice life balance costs you less energy. Every day is a new opportunity. Don’t get discouraged, if it doesn’t work right away.
- Master your mindset and take action
Reading books during your holiday about changing course and getting a nice life balance is inspiring. However, there always comes a time when you have to move into, yes, action. Why does this often not work? Your brain hates pain and wants to stay in the comfort zone and not take action. What happens in your brain then? The Voice Dialogue theory (Hal & Sidra Stone) assumes that in your brain ‘voices’ are constantly in ‘fight’ to do, or not do, something. It helps you to become aware of this and to realize which voice you are listening to. Asking yourself questions helps anyway. Is it true what I think? Am I sure it’s true? How do I react when I believe that thought? What do I do if I believe another thought? Which thought helps me further? (from: The Work, Byron Katie).For example, replace the limiting thought ‘I don’t feel like dealing with that overflowing mailbox’ with a helpful one: ‘I get it done and I feel good’. Often limiting thoughts arise from fear and insecurity. A tip: think 1% more from curiosity or enthusiasm, and 1% less from fear. See what this gets you!
Remember: thoughts precede behavior. If you did what you always did, you get what you always got. Do you really want to get a nice life balance? Then master your mindset!
Do you want a nice life balance yourself, or would you like this for your team? Learning not to run, but to plan? Learn to manage your mindset? Please contact Karin (k.godvliet@moovs.nl).
Also, plan a new plan a new holiday or a (mid) day out immediately, it is great to look forward to this!