There is so much written and spoken about regarding work/life balance. It has to stop.
Seeking a true balance between your career and everything else in your life, predominately your home life, is a recipe for ongoing anxiety and depressive states.
This is true because there will often be periods of time (seasons of life) that require more of you in one area of life than another. For more on this topic, please visit my article released earlier in June: “Balance is a Farce.”
Last week my article was; “Harmony: Boundaries at Work.” To have inner peace, amidst all your busyness, you must develop work/life harmony. Harmony will only be possible when you have good healthy boundaries in every area of your life.
I Feel Strongly About Boundaries
If you have trouble setting boundaries and/or adhering to them, I urge to please get help. This is an area that a life coach is perfect for.
Setting and maintaining boundaries is one of my specialties. I would be honored to work with you, and so would many other coaches.
Interview any life coach you are considering and make sure they abide by the code of ethics developed by “official” coaching organizations. I am a member of Christian Coaching Network International. I adhere to their code of ethics as well as the International Coach Federation.
It is NOT my intention to talk you into working with a life coach. The simple fact is, I feel very strongly about boundaries. I know first hand what a life without boundaries can lead to. I also know the incredible freedom of a life that adheres to solid boundaries. I want that freedom for everyone I know!
I have experienced the difficult road of mindset changes and the transition from almost no boundaries to a harmonious life with boundaries.
It’s not easy on your own. If I had worked with a life coach, I believe 2 things:
1.) I would not have wasted years going back and forth; I would have had a greater chance for successful outcomes early on.
2.) I would not have felt so alone; I would have had a trusted source to help me get things right.
I hope you are encouraged that there is hope if you struggle with your boundaries! But, now, it’s time to move on to the topic at hand…
Boundaries at Home
First and foremost, know what you value at home. If you say you value spending evenings with your children or your spouse, know what that looks like to you. What does “spending the evening” with them mean. Does it mean having dinner together and then, watching a movie, t.v. or playing a game? Does it mean an hour talking about their day?
If you bring work home, when will you do that work?
When you know what you value, it is important that you identify what will fulfill that value. Click To Tweet
When you know what you value, it is important that you identify what will fulfill that value for you. Once you know this, you can implement boundaries to protect it.
One of my home boundaries is my kitchen. I really, really do not like getting up in the morning and walking into a kitchen that is a mess. I make sure the dishes are in the dishwasher before I go to bed. I clean off my counters and sweep the floor if it needs it. I value the serenity it brings me to walk into a clean kitchen.
Another boundary I have at home is quiet time with God first thing in the morning. In order to make sure this happens, I get up, minimally, an hour before my husband. I value being able to focus in a quiet house for my devotion and prayer time.
Know What You Value
Arbitrarily implementing boundaries does not work well. To obtain harmony, it takes consideration of what truly matters to you. Then, define what it means to you to respect and protect those things that matter to you.
Just like the examples I gave you above from my own life. If I simply said that it matters to me that I have quiet time with God daily, but I don’t define what that means, the likelihood is that I won’t have it. In fact, I use to have this very scenario.
I desired quiet time with God daily and sometimes, I would find a few minutes here or there. However, too many days were filled with my busyness and no quiet time happened. It wasn’t until I sat back and thought about things like:
– When can I give God my best self?
– What am I willing to do to ensure that I have time with God daily?
– How can I make sure this time with God happens?
[stextbox id=”custom” bwidth=”3″ color=”FAFEFF” bcolor=”8C6727″ bgcolor=”50C7C3″ bgcolorto=”50C7C3″]A person without self-control is like a house with its doors and windows knocked out. ~ Proverbs 25:28 (MSG)[/stextbox]
Time for Self
This is a topic that I find women want to talk about A LOT! Finding time to take care of you is a must if you are going to achieve harmony in your life. And, it is a fact, it takes time to properly take care of you.
Women are great at caring for everyone else. Please take note that you must become “great” at caring for yourself as well. If you don’t, you won’t be able to take care of others. There’s no other way to put it.
Make yourself a priority. It’s not selfish; it’s a must.
Harmony should not be a “someday” dream:
– Know what you value.
– Know what will protect your values.
– Implement protective boundaries.
– Adhere to your boundaries.
I have 2 slots open to work with new clients.
Contact me today
Let’s discuss if coaching is right for you
and if we are a good fit to work together.
Contact Coach Deb
