Out of Balance and Feeling Burnt Out?

5 Easy Steps to Get Your Life Back with Work

by Jennifer Martin, Founder Leadership Well Done

Success doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice yourself.  If you’re feeling like taking a three-year vacation might not be long enough, this article is for you.

There isn’t a leader I know that’s not wired with some level of perfectionism and when presented with a problem, or opportunity, wouldn’t be the first one to strap the entire world on their back to act.  But in case you haven’t had the pleasure of trying this strategy, let me save you some time (and especially precious energy) it doesn’t work out.

Sure, you’re tough and you can keep it all going for some period, but it’s not a sustainable strategy.  In fact, when you take on too much, or work out of your strength zone, all that constant, undirected action can leave you feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, not good enough and/or buried underneath a never-ending pile of work. 

It’s time for you to find a better balance.  Follow these 5 steps to start winning at both life and work.

Step 1: Set a Clear Personal Vision

“Where there is no vision, the people perish”, out of the book of wisdom and always holds true.  Vision is all about direction.  It’s hard to win if you’re not first clear on what winning looks like.  Often leaders skip this step because it’s not action-oriented and doesn’t feel “productive”.  However, investing time to get clear on where you want to land is critical to making intentional, incremental progress versus just wasting time spinning your wheels.

When working with leadership teams in corporate vision workshops I additionally ask them to individually get clear on their own personal vision and life goals.  I encourage them to think about what they want their life to look like in these 5 areas: health+ wellness, relationships, leisure + lifestyle, spiritual connectedness, and personal growth.  Then like any vision workshop, you need the self-awareness to call out where you are now in relation to that vision and decide what activities are key to bringing you closer to those goals.

Step 2: Take Inventory on Your Current Actions

I know you think all you do is important, but is it all necessary, and more importantly is it really bringing you closer to your vision and goals? Based on the vision you just defined, what do you need to start, stop or do more of?

Make a list of all the activities you perform.  Everything from answering emails, sitting in meetings, returning calls, strategizing with your teams plus all the in between. 

Once everything is listed, rate each activity 1-3 (one being the lowest, 3 being the highest) in these three categories: required, return, personal reward. 

Then, total the score for each item and reorder them based on the summated numerical value.  For example, those activities that have a total score of 9, i.e. received a 3 in all three categories (3 + 3 + 3) should be listed on top.  Consequently, those activities that have a total score of 3 (1 + 1 + 1) should be listed at the end.

Step 3: Dump and Delegate

One of the hardest things for leaders to do is trust someone else with “your work”.  Nevertheless, to build a sustainable business you need to be efficient as well as build up other leaders around you, so it’s time to reevaluate your activities and let some things go. 

Start at the bottom of your list, what can you stop doing all together and what can you delegate to others?

Chances are there may be several items you are currently doing that aren’t as aligned in your strength zone as they might be to someone else on the team.  Allow some time for this transition but show them what you do, do it with them, and then watch them perform. 

Also encourage them to use their own experience and strengths to identify better ways to accomplish the same outcomes during the process.  This is how the business continues to improve, innovate, and grow.

Step 4: Balance Your Time and Energy

Leading people requires a lot of energy, but not all your activities require the same intensity.  For instance, when I’m leading a workshop, speaking to a large group, or devising business strategies, they all require me to be at 100%.  Likewise, when I sit down to write, the high level of critical thinking also requires my uninterrupted time, focus and full creativity.

Conversely, however, I don’t require the same focus or energy to answer emails or post to social media.  I schedule these as a mental break around 10am, and when I return calls I’m usually optimizing downtime in the car.

Everyone has their own rhythms and routines, but if you can plan a little ahead, time block activities and leave some whitespace as an unknown margin, you’d be amazed at how much more you can get done.

Step 5: Don’t be Afraid to Say No

New opportunities are exciting but can also present a potential upset to the balance you’re working so hard to create. I’ve learned not everything is “our assignment”, and generally I won’t have the resources available to take on the right growth opportunities, if I take on the ones that aren’t.

To help figure out when to say yes, thank you or simply say no I’ve devised this simple system.  I ask myself these three questions:  1) Is this opportunity aligned with my professional and personal vision? 2) Does it utilize or help grow my innate strengths? 3) Will it bring me closer to my goals? 

The answers are either all positive and it’s a HEAVENS YES or it’s quite frankly a HELL NO.

Overall, balance looks different in different seasons.  Sometimes work needs to be a priority and other times it’s your personal life that needs to be put first.   Realizing you’re human and that even if you can do everything, you can’t do everything well is the beginning step to personal growth.

BONUS TIP-- because I really want you to be successful.  Every three to six months look at your calendar and checkbook.  If you’re sticking to these steps, then both your time and money should be aligned to your goals.