Comments on: Work-Life Balance? Life-Work Balance? How About Life-Life Balance?

By: Daisy

Daisy — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 01:10:01 +0000

Sometimes balance looks more like juggling in my life. My to-do list includes that which I might forget, but not the everyday.

By: Derek

Derek — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 19:37:42 +0000

Lorna, very nice article! As you know, I’ve been saying a few thing about balance lately and find that the to-do list is a great assistance to keeping things in check.

As a matter of fact, my list from Wednesday had laundry on there. And it took me 5 minutes to fold one load of laundry, as I remember checking the clock as I started.

Karen, you are right that the word balance as it applies to work/life is a little bit of a misnomer. Rarely, if ever, will everything be in perfect balance.

Rather than look at the word balance in terms of equality, I like to think of it like the balance on a bill. This means there is something left on the other side of the equation that needs attention.

By: lornadoone

lornadoone — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 16:30:31 +0000

Julie – Tamara and I are talking about doing book reviews here on the blog, and yours sounds perfect. I’ll have to find a copy. I’m guessing I could learn a thing or two about working from home. Also, the “brain dump” idea sounds like Doug Hall in Jumpstart Your Brain,, which is one of my favorite books.

Karen – I love whiteboards, although I admit to not owning one. Since my office is now becoming the nursery, I have the computer set up in the living room. It’s not the most convenient (although isn’t as bad as a I thought), but a whiteboard just wouldn’t go with my living room motif.

By: Karen Skidmore

Karen Skidmore — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 14:02:34 +0000

I hate the word balance How can you balance everything when you are constantly on the move. To have everything in balance you have to be static and if you are a mum, we all know that is one state that we are never in (unless it is comatose on the couch with a bottle of wine!)

I am a big planner and goal setter. I use big white boards in my home office which are filled up with scribbles and “to-do”s. Somehow, writing them down makes me do them – as long as they are allocated a day for me to do them in.

By: Julie Lenzer Kirk

Julie Lenzer Kirk — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 12:45:14 +0000

In my recently published book, “The ParentPreneur Edge: What Parenting Teaches About Building a Successful Business” (Wiley), I think I use the exact same words as you do in talking about balance NOT being like a scale. In fact, I go as far as to call it “The ‘B’ Word” because it seems to get us all in trouble trying to obtain it. In my experience, balance is something that you have to look at OVER TIME. Something sustainable. If you keep stressing over each and every day to balance in and of itself, you’ll go crazy! As you said, some days are all about NON-WORK items. Let that be and don’t stress or feel guilty about it, just make up for it later.

I own my own business which is home based at the moment and one way I separate from work to family is to do a brain dump before I leave my office. Write down everything work-related that is in my head (sometimes it is quick, other times not-so-much-so). I allow myself to add to the ‘dump’ once I am out of my office, but I just dump and go and continue on with whatever family activity I was engaged in.

By: lornadoone

lornadoone — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 23:54:46 +0000

Melissa – I totally put “laundry” on my to-do lists. It’s usually added with something else so that at the beginning of that time period, I run down and put in a load or switch them around or bring a load up or whatever! It really only takes three or four minutes, so if I put “laundry” on with four other items during the day, I’m sure to get at least two full loads done.

Katie – I’ve been known to write “make a list” at the top of my to-do list so that once I’ve written it, I have something to cross off immediately.

Sharyn – Having a tidy environment is such a help to me. Unfortunately, it is really hard to keep on top of it. When things are all organized, though, I feel so much better and more productive. Your other suggestions are great, too!

By: Sharyn Essman

Sharyn Essman — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 22:56:17 +0000

In addition to scheduling, I’ve found that tidiness and physical organization are hugely helpful — or at least would be helpful if I could implement them reliably. Some steps can be easily taken however; every small electronic device I own is brightly colored, to give me at least a fighting chance when it comes to finding them. In addition, I discovered a cordless telephone headset from Hello Direct that is so good I can make it all the way to my mailbox without losing a connection, and so completely hands free that I can cook, change diapers, put away groceries, sweep, even discipline, while I’m on the phone. Of course, I do have to mute it when disciplining…

By: Katie

Katie — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 20:59:16 +0000

I’m also a big fan of the to-do list, particularly because I get great satisfaction in crossing things off!

No matter how much I -think- I will remember everything I have to od, I don’t and writing it all down is a huge help.

By: Melissa Garrett

Melissa Garrett — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 18:47:27 +0000

LOL! I am glad I am not the only one to have, what I call, “The Master Schedule.” I just wrote a post about it on my site a few days ago – scheduling in everything (a load of laundry, even) is the only way I get anything done. With three kids and a fledgling business, it’s what keeps me sane!