Beat the Back to Work Blues Part 3

You come back to work and it just isn't what it used to be right?  Fulfilment at work isn't necessarily going to come from your employer.  There needs to be some input from you right? If you shift how you think and act at work then you'll realise that you can have more control over your time there and make it more of want you want it to be.

Consider what makes you feel on top, then focus your energy on getting those things right

Don’t balance work and life, blend them. 

Draw a circle and break it into eight segments. Now imagine that everything is running smoothly in your life. Populate each segment with an element that contributes to this feeling – your children, exercise, progression at work, for example. Score each from zero to 10 on your level of fulfilment, then decide what you would like your score to be. Now think about what you need to focus on to get there.

Prioritise your state of wellbeing. 

Wellbeing is the backbone of productivity at work and in your home life. It relates to your happiness, stress levels, confidence, and sense of security, and is closely linked to your personal work-life blend. Once you have identified the things that contribute to your optimum state of wellbeing (using the exercise above), make them a real priority. It will be worth it in the long run.

Find your own blend. 

We each have a certain amount of energy that we can devote to things, but we waste a lot of it comparing ourselves to others who seem (on the outside) to be managing it all. Everyone has a different job, kids with different temperaments, varying degrees of supportive partner. Consider what makes you feel on top of your world, then focus your energy on getting those things right.

Foresight is a game changer. 

We all have niggles: perhaps your manager doesn’t understand how committed you are to progression since you’ve returned from maternity leave, or your partner is letting you deal with more and more at home… but we choose to ignore them because we have other things going on. Don’t. Talking with a like-minded person is a great way to acknowledge your problems and come up with options to address them.

Embrace our culture shift: it’s 2017. 

The world is a very different place from our parents’ generation. You and your partner are and will be building your world together, so make sure you really are doing it together. Constantly communicate to ensure that your partner understands how he or she can support you in achieving your blend, and if a big challenge occurs in your family, discuss how you can work collaboratively. Try as hard as you can to see things from one another’s point of view.

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