Hey there Big Fish ...

Not enough hours in the day to do everything you need to get done? Spending so much time and energy on your work that work has taken over your life? If so, read on!

Maintaining a satisfying balance among work responsibilities, family commitments and leisure activities is sometimes tricky, but it always pays off in increased energy and better health.
The key to creating a fulfilling lifestyle is to determine what "balance" means for you. What you consider a leisure activity may be someone else's "work" (or the other way around).

Creating a balanced lifestyle is an ongoing process of deciding:

• how much time and energy you want to devote to different aspects of your life.
• how you can reduce the time and energy you spend on low-priority activities.

To take stock of your current lifestyle and pinpoint things you may want to change, keep track of how much time you spend on different types of activities over the next two weeks. You may be surprised by what you learn!

How much time do you currently spend on each of the following?

• Work-related activities: paid employment, going to school or taking a class, commuting to and from work and other work-related activities.
• Family and home activities: child care, time spent with your partner, cooking, cleaning your home and yard, shopping, taking care of pets and other home-related activities.
• Relationships (outside of your immediate family): close friends, casual friends, neighbours, relatives (in-laws, sister, brother, parents, etc.).
• Leisure activities: hobbies and other interests, recreation (exercise class, organized sports, etc.), relaxation (reading, going to a movie, etc.), time alone doing something you enjoy.
• Community involvement: belonging to a club or organization, volunteering, participating in spiritual activities, being involved in children's activities (swimming, Scouting, etc.).

On what types of activities do you spend the most time? the least time?

How much time would you like to spend on each type of activity?

• Are you satisfied with the amount of time you are spending on each type of activity? If not, what would you like to change?
• Are you basing your choices on what you really want or on what you think you should want?
• Make changes, where necessary, to achieve a better balance.
• If you were better organized, would you have more time for leisure activities? For example, could you use lunch breaks at work to run errands (e.g. pick up a birthday gift, do your banking) instead of doing these things on weekends? Use lists and calendars to get organized and make the best possible use of your time.
• Are you trying to work outside the home and still maintaing the housekeeping standards of a full-time homemaker? If so, you may need to set more realistic standards. Talk to family members or your roommates and try to reach an agreement on the levels of tidyness and cleanliness you want and can reasonably be expected to maintain.
• If you have been doing most of the housework, ask for help. Family members or roommates may be more willing to help if you can agree on exactly what needs to be done and when. As far as possible, let them choose their tasks and rotate tasks regularly so no one gets the same unpleasant job every week. Try to present your needs and concerns as calmly and objectively as you can—avoid accusing or demanding. Listen to their opinions and keep the lines of communication open.
• Consider alternative work arrangements such as working part-time, job sharing, telecommuting or working on a contract basis. When you are looking for work, seek out progressive employers who have demonstrated a willingness to respond to individual needs.
• Make time for leisure activities. Stress management experts insist that taking time for leisure and personal growth and development activities is a necessity, not a luxury. Again, you may have to discuss options and set priorities with other important people in your life.

Inevitably, there will be times when the balance you have created tips in one direction or another (e.g. when you are starting a new job or business, or you have a baby). If, however, the balance remains tipped for months, it's time to re-examine your lifestyle choices.