You know that old cliché about working smarter, not harder? Well, when it comes to work-life balance, it really does make sense. Executive Coach Aoife Killeen has this advice on getting the most from your working day and getting home on time.
1. Make flexible lists
“Small tweaks in the workday routine can bring big results. The trusty old ‘to do’ list is a good place to start. Nowadays, there are a range of programmes and apps that you can use, so it’s a matter of finding whatever works for you.
Check your list regularly – so first thing in the morning, before lunch and again in the evening. You need to be prepared to re-prioritise or abandon the list altogether, if there’s a crisis that needs urgent attention. In the evening, before you rush off, make your list for the next day. That helps you to park everything and it means you won’t be obsessing about work when you’re with your family at home.
“Keep a notebook by the bedside so that when you wake up in the middle of the night, you can quickly write down any task that you suddenly remember you have to do.”
2. Set good email habits
“Set aside time early in the day to tackle your Inbox. Aim to answer what you can immediately and get that kind of mail dealt with promptly. If there’s mail you’re not in a position to answer straight away, schedule time to find the information you need and to reply. I’d also recommend turning off the alerts. Avoid constant email checking. It can be an addiction and it’s important to set boundaries.
“If you’re an excessive checker – going into your work email at home and at weekends, don’t go cold turkey suddenly. Start by saying that you won’t check email on weeknights after 7pm. Then you might scale that back to 6pm. If you absolutely have to check email at weekends, do it just once. I’m a great believer in switching off and recharging. We’re all over-stimulated as it is and need to combat FOMO (Fear of Missing Out).”
3. Respect time
“At work, respect your time and everyone else’s. Block out time for different tasks in a diary or calendar. If there’s a shared calendar, make sure you block out time when you’re not available for meetings – for example, when you’re working to a deadline. Keep that time sacrosanct.
“If you have people calling to your office or stopping by your desk on a regular basis, you need to manage this. You may need to tell someone that you have ten minutes only. Or you may need to signal to someone when an informal meeting is over – even getting up from your desk can get that across. If you genuinely don’t have time, you need to say that and then find a time in your diary to schedule a quick one-to-one meeting, if the issue isn’t urgent.”
4. Avoid presenteeism
“If you’re a parent and you have to leave work at a certain time, then you have to leave. Family commitments take priority once the working day is over. Be clear and open about that. That also means letting people know you must use your time productively and that you can’t afford too many diversions.”
5. Stick to your schedule
“Aim to keep your appointments to schedule. If you have arranged a meeting with a colleague, it’s disrespectful not to stick to that. Sometimes rescheduling might be unavoidable, but there’s a risk that you’re suddenly eating into the late evening or staying back after work when you need to be elsewhere.”
6. Ask for help
“If you’re overwhelmed on a particular task, try to stand back. Switch to another task for a while; get advice from a colleague; try a different approach. There may be a situation where you need to get professional help from a coach or to take a short course in time management. Those are great for helping you to identify problem and set good habits.
If you’re overwhelmed to the point where your sleep is affected, the advice is always to see your GP. They’ll be able to recommend the different kinds of help available.”
7. Grab some fresh air
“Build fresh air and exercise into the working day. If you’re a busy parent, you’re going to be under pressure once you leave the office – picking up the children and organising the evening meal, etc. If you can manage to get some exercise in during the day, it’s a big benefit. Take a walk for 15-20 minutes at lunchtime. Go walking with a colleague or group of colleagues or if there are shower facilities, you could even go for a run during your lunch break.”
Aoife Killeen is a Business and Executive Coach. She holds an MA in Business and Executive Coaching from the Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School at UCD. Her specialist thesis was on the psychology of coaching.
