Work/life balance is one of the central themes of life coaching. Individuals who are seeking a coach to help balance their lives are usually looking for help with a number of issues:
- Stress (caused by conflicts both at work and at home)
- Long working hours
- Responsibilities
- Career / Job Position
- Living within his/her means
- Burnout
- Time management
- Role conflict (i.e. being a mother/homemaker/employee/boss/etc.)
People typically ignore the initial warning signs of imbalance in their lives, or simply avoid dealing with them. They make feel constantly tired, think their choices are limited, have minimal control, and are no longer able to effectively manage their lives. They may feel as though life is happening to them rather than them having control of their lives. This typically results in high levels of stress, guilt, over-commitment, exhaustion, anger and/or anxiety.
High stress levels can affect health through poor eating habits, lack of sleep, lowered immunity to colds and flu. Stress also impacts relationships both at work and at home. Self-esteem is lowered. Many people hit “critical mass” before they seek help. They become less efficient at work and more impatient at home.
Work/life balance can be set right with some coaching sessions focused on recognizing priorities and facing changes that need to be made. It could be a job change that is the ultimate outcome in order to live with less stress, more self-satisfaction, and a happier home life. Your life coach will help you walk through an assessment that will help you more clearly recognize the areas that need work and the goals you want to reach.