Being a working woman today is tough. The daily grind never stops, and most of the time, life balance is not even an option. What, are you kidding?

And what’s more, you are expected to have some semblance of a family and personal life in the limited glimpses of time between work days.

Can it be done? It depends on whether you are ready and willing to make some changes in your life. Successful change can only happen if you are ready and willing – and that goes with any type of change that you want to make.

So what’s the secret to finding life balance?

The PAUSE that Refreshes

You have to pause long enough to realize that you are in a cycle that you want to break. You have to actually stop and look at where you are and how you got there. Sometimes this happens without a choice on your part. Your body shuts down and you wake up one day ready to chuck it all, wondering how you ever got to this point. Ever happen to you?

To avoid this, you must pause. It is not complicated; in fact, it’s rather basic. You need to take an inventory of what you have in your life by looking at how your typical day evolves. Probe into some areas of your life that may be contributing to your downward spiral. Here are some great places to start that inventory:

•  Examine the flow of your day.

Where do you seem to get jammed up in your day? Are you always looking for your keys, papers, glasses, etc.? If so, take time to pay attention to your habits. Find a home for those constantly sought-after items so they will always be in the same place when you need them.

•  Look at your organization skills.

You must take control of your clutter before it takes control of you. If you find yourself always overwhelmed with papers and other clutter, consider picking up a copy of my book, “…But I Might Need It Someday!” to learn the processes that it takes to become organized and simply maintained. It can be done!

•  Observe how you use your time.

Unfortunately, Americans live by the clock. If you think you don’t waste time in your day, track your days for a week in half-hour increments, starting on a Wednesday and track your time until the following Wednesday. This will give you a good flavor of how you spend your time. You may be surprised by how much time you waste (or don’t!). You have to be honest as you track your time or you’ll never get a feel for how you can improve.

•  Monitor the activities in your life.

Are the activities in your life still bringing you joy? Note how you feel before and after you participate in an activity (i.e. chairing a committee, playing bridge, attending a PTA meeting, serving on a board of directors). Do you feel better, the same or worse afterwards? If you feel the same or worse, it may be something you no longer need, so you should consider eliminating it from your life.

There are many areas of your life that can throw you off balance. Even after you feel you have a handle on your life, many times you end up returning to your previously overwhelmed state. The secret to long-term success is to PAUSE, THINK, then ACT before you bring anything new into your life, whether it’s a new activity or a new item. I think you’ll be amazed at how little you will allow into your life if you just make an effort to PAUSE first.

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