4 Council of the man who has found a balance between work and personal life

The work requires from us a return, which is a full-fledged personal life time and energy no longer remains. We feel this imbalance, but rush on without changing anything. And that has not bothered you live like this? - asks Nigel Marsh, an Australian writer, marketer, head of consulting firm, one of the founders of "Earth Hour".

Nigel Marsh asked myself this question when he knocked 40. The picture was unsightly: A typical "corporate warrior", hard at work and almost a stranger with your children (and there he had four!). Horrified by himself, Nigel went to drastic measures: quit his job and spent a year at home with his family.

This experience gave him not so much: it turned out that to maintain a balance between work and personal life is easy, but ... when you have no job. Not very useful skill, especially when the money runs out.

I had to go back to work. But the next 7 years, Nigel Marsh persistently studied the possibility to maintain a balance between work and personal life, and later devoted to this his first book.

Here are the 4 main conclusions to which he came.

1. Honesty with yourself

The first step in solving any problem - it is recognition of the reality of the situation in which we find ourselves. Therefore, we must honestly say to ourselves: work, career incompatible with the full and meaningful participation in the regular life of a young family. Thousands of people lead a life of quiet desperation, spending long hours at work, which is loathe to buy unnecessary things and they make an impression on people, it makes no difference.

2. Full responsibility

Governments and corporations will never solve this problem for us. If we do not rasplaniruem life is someone to do for us (and, most likely, so we do not like "balance"). We and we alone must take responsibility for the installation and compliance boundaries in their own lives.

3. realistic plan

You can not plan unrealizable. Perfectly balanced day - it's an illusion: one day may not contain all that we would like. "Step" balanced life planning should be wider. But, of course, do not go to extremes and think: "I am alive to the fullest when I retire / divorce when the wife / when to begin a health problem with me." Now the day for you too short, and retired, he will go on forever. Look for a middle ground.

4. A versatile approach

Do not forget about the different aspects of life. It is not enough to say to himself: "Now, in addition to the office, I'll go back in the gym." In life there are a lot of things: the intellectual component, emotional, spiritual. Achieving balance requires attention to all these parties.

"Perhaps all this sounds scary - recognizes Nigel Marsh. - You do not have time for a family, and I suggest that you also went to the gym, and my mother did not forget to call. I very well understand that. " Marsh recalls an episode when he had to leave the office early to pick up from school the younger son Harry. Nothing special about that day did not happen: they just walked, sat in the cafe, his father laid his son to bed and read to him the book. And the child said it was the best day of his life.

This example clearly shows how important the little things, emphasizes the Marsh. Achieving Balance in life is not necessarily connected with radical changes in it. By making a small contribution when it is necessary, you can completely change the quality of your relationships and your life in general. Moreover, it can even change society. The more people will follow it, the sooner the prevailing idea in society that success in life is measured by the amount of money will change more meaningful and balanced picture of what a happy life.

Author: Alina Nicholas