Work Life Balance

Work-Life Balance: A Need for Modern Day Leaders

Most of us spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough time on what is essential – Stephen Covey.

We all come into the world with limited time. Each of us only has 24 hours in a day. However, balancing that time determines the extent of our success and happiness in life.
Every leader needs to understand that work is a part of life, and work is not our entire life. So, we need to have the right balance between our work life and personal and social life.

What is work-life balance?
Work-life balance refers to having a balance in different aspects of life. There is a wheel of life comprising various aspects of life like career, social life, finance, travel, health, family, friends, and self-development. We need to have the right balance between these aspects of life.

Why is work-life balance important for leaders?

It is a common misconception that success is dependent on the time that we put in work. The fact is, it is not the amount of time but the quality of time that matters when it comes to creating success.

We can give quality time to our work only if we are in a good state of mind. If we want to be in a good state of being, all aspects of our life like health, relationships, learning, social life, etc., should be good.

So how can one achieve a perfect work-life balance?

For the right work-life balance, the leaders need to become more aware of their overall needs and give more time to themselves. As they say,” Only a full glass overflows.” We cannot give our best to others unless we are first happy and fulfilled in every way.
So, every leader needs to have their time for their learning, reflection, growth, and then only they will have enough energy available to give to their organizations.

How can coaching help in achieving a work-life balance?

Coaching is a journey toward self-awareness and growth. It impacts the leaders in the following way:

1. A leader realizes where they are: Executive coaching or leadership coaching helps them reflect where they are in terms of what they want in their lives.
2. A leader becomes clear about their vision: An executive coach, by asking powerful questions, helps leaders reflect on their vision. It gives them clarity about what they want in their lives.
3. Coaching gives them a sense of direction: With coaching, leaders get to know if they are going in the right direction viz a viz their vision.
4. Leaders become aware of their lifestyle: When leaders discuss their plans with the coach, they become aware of their lifestyle. They become aware of the significance of having a good lifestyle and implement changes in their lifestyle to improve their health and energy levels.
5. What impact are they creating on others?: During executive coaching, leaders learn about the effect of their presence on others. They work towards developing their executive presence.
6. How are they in different aspects of the wheel of life?: Through coaching, leaders become aware of their status regarding each segment of the wheel of life? What are the areas where they are doing good, and what areas need improvement?

A coach acts as an accountability partner, a mirror, and a friend who positively challenges the leaders. He helps them bring harmony in work and life, and as a result, they experience more fulfillment, happiness, success, health, and better relationships.