3 Skills For A Better Work Life Balance

Employees across many different industries find themselves grappling with issue of career fulfillment. Sometimes a lack of inspiration in your career is due to being in the wrong organization or niche; or not being paid what your worth. Yet sometimes it’s as simple as feeling overwhelmed and not mastering some of the simple skills needed to flow through your day with more ease. Improving these skills often requires some time and nurturing. If your quality of work is lagging and you’re feeling difficulty getting into the flow with your work, then I would encourage you to focus on building these three essential skills.

Decision Making

Decision making is a big part of most people’s work life. And often, indecision can be a root cause of dissatisfaction at work. Many of us feel the onslaught of tasks as soon as we walk through the door, and have trouble prioritizing what needs to be addressed first. And so, we just go into reaction mode. . . or procrastination mode. Yet, to get into the flow of creativity and productivity, it’s important to not delay the decision-making process. Rather than succumbing to indecision, focus more of your attention toward allocating time to make decisions. Setting aside time to go through the process is critical, and even though it seems counterintuitive, it makes the process quicker. Ruminating in the background on decisions that need to be made isn’t a good solution. Often, if we can get quiet and give it our attention by prioritizing, then we know inside pretty quickly what the right decision should be. Once you have set aside the time, get clarity on the key elements of the decision, and brainstorm your options before reaching a final conclusion.

Time Management

Managing your weekly calendar can seem like a major ordeal. Yet, there are some simple hacks to keep in mind when prioritizing your workday. According to Tim Ferris, best-selling author of the 4-Hour Work Week, you should try this simple trick. Instead of building lengthy to-do lists, concentrate on isolating only a couple of the key priorities that you want to accomplish in your day. Avoid distractions during your first hour of work. Use this time to complete the most important items on your agenda. Then, form a routine of prioritizing your most important things, dedicating time to accomplish them and making progress every day.

Conflict Resolution

Although some disagreements can be avoided, workplace conflict is inevitable. Whether it’s between you and your colleagues or with your management, conflicts can be detrimental to your quality of your professional life. Try to learn the skills it takes to deal with conflict in a healthy way. As tempting as it may be, avoid being reactive when conflicts arise. Step away from the situation and return later when calmer minds can prevail. Suggest a resolution and move forward by forgiving yourself and the others that were involved. It may be helpful to learn some basic mindfulness meditation techniques, so you can grow these skills over time.