BalanceOctober2016 - 13

E Q UA L LIVING Myth Busters 'I DON' T HAVE T H E T IM E ' If this is the case, it's because you're not making time. You're prioritising certain things over others - it's as simple as that. If fitness was important to you, you would fit it in. For example, you choose to spend those extra hours at work, no one is forcing you to. It might be because you have a strong work ethic where you feel you have to complete everything before you go home, or because you have been asked to take on yet another project. Remember that these are active choices you are making to prioritise work over the other areas of your life. There is still room for change, however, should you want to. Just one early morning, evening, or weekend dedicated to another area of your life FIND YOUR BALA NC E How to get more balance in your life today ❶ If you're short on time, combine exercise with socialising. For example, climbing, cycling, or salsa dancing are great for fitness but also very sociable. VOX POPS COMPILED BY: PIPPA THOMPSON VOX POPS PHOTOGRAPHY: WILL IRELAND ❷ Pay upfront for an activity or class. You're more likely to leave work on time and commit to going if you've already paid for it. ❸ Put in times to do nothing. Block out some space in your diary and say you're 'busy' having some downtime. ❹ Set yourself boundaries on when you'll check emails and when you'll reply. Stick to these, perhaps using your out of office to manage people's expectations of when you'll next be online. ❺ Let go of what things 'should' look like. Spend your time doing things you want to do, not what you think you ought to be doing. can work wonders in gaining a work/life balance. Highly successful and time-poor individuals still manage to find and create time for fitness, friends, and personal growth, so there are no excuses. Each week, using a calendar, allocate specific time slots to the things you'd like to build into your life e.g. an exercise class at 6.30pm on a Tuesday; friends over for dinner on a Thursday. Say 'no' to anything that comes up at those times - say you're not available. ' IT 'S IMPORTANT TO BALANCE WORK AND LIFE EQUALLY' One school of thought is that, actually, to balance your working lives equally with your personal goals is just not achievable anymore. Gone are the days where you work 9 to 5, exercise after work, and return home for dinner with family or friends. Work is slowly creeping in to all hours of the day, with heavier workloads and mobile technology meaning most people are expected to be on call every waking hour, wherever you are, whatever you are doing. You are likely to be prioritising your career more than ever, as you attach it more and more with your identity and status. Perhaps, then, the concept of work-life balance is dead, and it takes a finely tuned ability to integrate these two areas of your life. As boundaries between work and play blur more, you need to acquire the mental agility to switch between the two. 'IT 'S P OS S IB L E TO F I T EVE RYTH ING I N' Psychologist Abraham Maslow identified in the 1940s human beings' intrinsic need to strive towards full selfactualisation, where 'what a man can be, he must be.' You place a lot of pressure on yourself to fulfil your utmost potential, including the perfect balance between performing your best at work, and in your personal life. However, despite all of the above advice, it is sometimes impossible to fit absolutely everything in. When you're trying to achieve your best in everything you do, fitting it all in, it can lead to burn-out. Perhaps you'll prioritise one or two areas for six months, then another for the next six. Only change things if you're unhappy. After all, if the Wheel ain't broke, why fix it? B Benedict Wood, 24, Hoxton, musician 'I'd be a great life coach, just not to myself! I want to start playing basketball again and drink less!' EA STRIKNCE BALA ndoners ed L o We ask y view their e h t w o h nce... fe bala work/li some with sults ting re e t in res Josue Calebe, 21, London, driver 'I work as a delivery driver, it's not my dream job - it doesn't pay great but I need a job to survive. Luckily, I work flexible hours so I have time to relax with a few drinks and socialise with friends.' Suzy Todd, 36, and Zion, six months, E2 London, personal trainer 'Zion and I are still adapting, so we just go with the flow. If I can get to yoga then that's my time. Everything with babies is unpredictable.' Anthony Delaney, 32, Kentish Town, director 'My work/life balance is 10 out of 10! I started my own business in IT recruitment about six months ago.' Isobel Chillman, 27, Hackney, client relations 'In London you can have a lot of fun and I can balance my job, friends, home, family, but then I think I forget about love.' Shaun Jones, 36, Shoreditch, clothes designer 'I value my life a little bit more than my work, in the sense that I like to take my time to enjoy myself more. I used to do corporate and now I do creative.' Ayo Ogundayo, 23, Hackney, student 'I try to fit in activities after work for a bit of time out, otherwise it's all work! I'm not really an exercise kind of girl but I do enjoy walking.' Cristina Moreno, 22, Dalston, student 'You just have to try to prioritise and see what's most important in your life. Learning to say no is hard, as it's instinct to want to help.' 13

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of BalanceOctober2016