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The Successful SupervisorTips from LifeSolutions
Your Employee Assistance Program
OPTION 2
Support in life. Success at work.
When a 24-hour day and seven-day week still don’t give you enough time to accomplish all you need to do week in and week out, you soon can find your life drastically out of balance. Contending with multiple projects, spending time traveling for work, attending stressful meetings, and handling all of your personal life commitments sometimes feels insurmountable. It’s tiring and stressful too.Balancing your business and personal lives is very important. In the world of employee assistance programs, we call this work-life balance. The concept refers to proper prioritizing between “work” (career and ambition) and “lifestyle” (health, pleasure, leisure, family, and spiritual development/meditation). According to a study from researchers at Penn State University, people are often more stressed at home than at work.1 In a culture known for working too much and being connected 24/7, how does one create work-life balance? This article focuses on what you as a manager can do to incorporate some balance into your daily life. As always, we are interested in your feedback and questions. Please email your questions and comments to the EAP at [email protected] or contact an EAP account manager at 1.800.647.3327.
Megan Meachim, MA, Account Manager
As someone in a management role, you have at least two reasons for getting your priorities in balance at work: 1) your own health and well-being and 2) the impact on your direct reports and colleagues when you’re overinvolved and at the limits of your energy and focus. If you allow yourself to be depleted, what’s left to offer others? Can you show interest in them, listen to their needs, support and encourage them, praise them for accomplishments, and focus on the future direction of your unit or department when you’re struggling to keep up personally?
How can you prioritize your work and personal life better? Below are some commonsense strategies:
• Pare down your commitments and prioritize. Make a list – write down what is important to you, what you MUST do, what you would LIKE to do, and which things aren’t as vital.
• Get comfortable saying “No.” When it comes to saying no, we are not all created equal. For some, saying no is relatively easy; they have a clear idea of what they can and cannot do and are not uncomfortable setting limits. However, if you’re someone who struggles with the “no” word, practice responses that let you really think about what you want to commit to and what you do not have time for. For example, “Let me think about it and get back to you” is a respectful way to give yourself a
December 2014
Copyright 2014 Community Care Behavioral Health. All rights reserved.LS EAP SS NL DEC 14WP0877 HL (SHD) 11/13/14 PDF
Your Employee Assistance Program
OPTION 2
Support in life. Success at work.
little space and avoid a kneejerk “Yes, I can do it” response. Another great way to say no is, “Thanks so much for thinking of me, but I have a full schedule and would not be able to give it the attention it deserves.”
• Build downtime into your schedule – People findtime to do the things they think are important.When planning your week, make a point to scheduletime with friends and family, for rest and relaxation,for solitude or meditation, and for any otheractivities that help you recharge.
• Know when you’re most productive – Maximizingtime during your personal peak times is time wellspent. For example, morning people will get up anextra hour early to go for a jog or do a load of laundrybefore heading to work. Some will head into work andget caught up on paperwork while it is quiet.
• Take a vacation – Time off for rest allows the brainand body to recharge. Remember, vacation doesnot have to be two weeks in the islands. It can bean afternoon watching old movies and sipping hotchocolate or a short weekend visit to a state park.
• Exercise – Finding time to exercise may ultimatelyhelp you get more done by boosting your energylevel and ability to concentrate. When you exercise,allow yourself to enjoy the movement and activity ofyour body or the pleasure of being outdoors or on abasketball court. Don’t turn exercise into yet anothertask to be completed.
• Enjoy the simple pleasures – Take a bath, read abook, go for a walk, or listen to music. Take 10-15minutes to do something that is uplifting to you andgenerates joy and happiness.
• Leave work at work – Try to avoid continuing workafter hours. Staying connected to work 24/7 maygive you a sense of control over your workload forthe next day, but there is a cost. While connected towork, most of us stay on alert and aroused (ready torespond and react). This state of arousal is a primary
cause of stress. Detaching from the computer or phone can allow you to relax and really connect with family and friends or do something special for yourself.
Contact LifeSolutions – Take advantage of the unlimited management consultation LifeSolutions provides. LifeSolutions’ consultants can support you in developing the skills and habits that will help you align your priorities. We want you to enjoy applying your skills at work, grow in your profession, and support your staff with your best “self.” We also encourage you to take advantage of counseling/coaching and online services LifeSolutions offers at no cost to help you deal with stress at home and work.
1https://contemporaryfamilies.org/work-lowers- stress-levels/
Call LifeSolutions at 1.800.647.3327 if you would like to learn more about managing work-life balance.Stay tuned for our January 2015 issue, which will focus on addressing difficult personal issues with staff (hygiene, dress, etc.).
The Successful Supervisor, cont’d
To use our WorkLife Resource Center, email or call us for your organization code:
1.800-647-3327
www.lifesolutionsforyou.comLifeSolutions is a confidential workplace
benefit available at no cost to you and members of your household.
The information in this flier is not meant as a substitute for your company’s policies.
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