When you hear the phrase “Work-Life Balance,” what immediately comes to your mind? I know that in the coaching space, that phrase can feel like nails on a chalkboard. I personally don’t mind it, but I understand why others do. 

For one, it gets tremendously overused. But more importantly, it’s often tossed around with the wrong meaning. You’re not going to balance work and life. One of the speakers at my last audio summit talked about the concept of  “Work-Life Harmony” which I loved. But I still worry that that leaves something out. You. It leaves you out of it! There’s work and there’s life, but where do you fit in? So what if we reframed it as balancing your needs?

What are your needs?

First, let’s think about what your needs are. You need your family. You need to make money to keep the lights on. You need sleep. You need exercise. You need food. So how do you balance your needs? How do you find a way to prioritize yourself and achieve success without sacrificing your health and happiness?

The problem with the idea of a “Work-Life Balance” is that you can run yourself into the ground trying to be practically perfect in every way, doing all the things. But what if, instead, you focused on what you need, what’s most important to you, and how to put those puzzle pieces in the right order so that every need is met.

If you work on balancing the things you need instead of “work” and “life,” you’re going to get more out of your day.

What does balancing your needs look like?

What does that look like in practice? Okay, let’s say that you’re feeling exhausted or not especially social. Then you’re going to attend to those needs and sleep a bit longer or sit and read a book.

Or maybe you need some people and an adult conversation. Then your focus for the day is going to be going out. 

3 ways to begin balancing your needs

But in order to truly start balancing your needs, you’ve got to work on three different things…

1. Refine your self-awareness. To balance your needs, you have to be able to identify what those needs are. And sometimes that’s easier said than done. Especially when you’ve been in the mode of ignoring your needs to take care of everyone else. This can be done by taking a moment to reflect on what you need to feel happy and fulfilled in your life. Some of these needs may be obvious, like getting enough sleep or spending time with loved ones. Others may be less obvious and require some introspection, like finding a creative outlet or pursuing a new passion. 
2. Reframe your idea of “self-care.” I will repeat this until everybody hears and understands it. Self-care is not a luxury. When we hear the term “self-care” we tend to think of bubble baths and pedicures. But sleep is self-care. Exercise is self-care. Self-care is the ability to prioritize your needs over other people's expectations or demands. Self-care is the antidote to self-abandonment.
3. Set boundaries. This can be so hard when you’re used to saying yes to everything and everyone. Boundaries aren’t a sign of weakness or failure. They’re a sign of self-respect. When you say no to something that doesn't serve your needs, you create space in your life for the things that do. For the things that fulfill you. And that’s how you get balance.

The idea of “work-life balance” can be overwhelming. It can feel unattainable! So instead, let’s focus on balancing our needs. Think of your list of things to do as a way to address what you need, what your body needs, and what your soul needs. Start there. By identifying your needs, prioritizing self-care, and saying no things that don’t serve you, you can achieve success and fulfillment without feeling burnt out! 

If you need some help figuring out those needs, if you need some help drawing some boundaries, or if you're just not really sure where to start, let's get on the phone. Schedule a free strategy call with me! Let's reframe the conversation around balance together.