Emotional, Elusive Work/Life Balance
Remember life before kids? I don’t either, but I think I thought I was so busy — Isn’t that funny?
If you are a working parent, trying to do all the things, feeling overwhelmed, or desperate to move beyond survival mode, this is for you.
As a life and business coach with an arsenal of clarity-building exercises, I’ve outlined two very effective approaches below.
In the first, we flash forward five years and capture the details. How old is Mom? Dad? The kids? The dog? The grandparents? The house? Anchoring your timeline is important because it creates a sense of urgency.
It’s one thing to struggle with (let’s say your weight) for five years when you’re single or dabble in (let’s say your career) for a decade before kids; it’s another to be an overweight, underpaid stressball from the time your kids are five until they turn 15. It imprints a certain world view on them, doesn’t it?
After we’ve locked in timing and commitment, we analyze emotions. I’m not that interested in what my clients want to achieve in five years, at least not in this exercise, because most people wildly over or underestimate what they can accomplish.
I want to know how my clients feel, what emotions come up as they imagine their futures, but also, how they anticipate or hope they’ll…
