Finding Your Balance

By Charmaine Grant  – Head of Relationship Management (QLD & NT),

Institute of Managers and Leaders

As women, we all struggle at some point to find balance. If I asked you “What is one thing you could change to allow yourself some YOU time?” what would you say?

What do you start to think about? What runs through your mind?

I can imagine it’s things like –

• Getting the kids off to school, making their lunches
• Is that report ready for the meeting this week?
• I have a crazy week ahead

Balance isn’t easy to find, commitment both personal and professional will always be there but for you to have a healthy mind, body and soul you need to give yourself this YOU time.

You don’t always have to be so busy, pushing yourself so hard. Step back and take care of yourself. Those moments of self-care will add so much value, energy, purpose and creativity to all that you do. It’s about finding that healthy balance, embracing it and moving forth with it.

Trust me as a Woman in a Leadership role, we all struggle and I’ve been ensuring that I nurture and nourish my team, letting them know that I’m always here but was I leading by example, in short NO! I realised that I needed to make changes so that first and foremost I was leading by example.

So, here’s what I did, I made a commitment to me, I wrote down in my journal an affirmation to balance – You don’t always need to be getting stuff done. Sometimes it’s perfectly ok, and absolutely necessary, to shut down, kick back, and do nothing!
I love this! My love one’s love this, my team loves this!

Putting the wheels into motion –

1. Awareness – take some time out to reflect on your state of being and be honest with yourself on where you are at. Reflect on the areas that you are clearly focused on, you’ll be able to see where this focus is causing other areas to be neglected.
2. Plan – you have identified the areas that feel neglected so plan to nourish those neglected areas but ensure that you make and set small, attainable goals. For example – go for a walk before work, meditate, reduce your late nights in the office and free up weekends so you can spend them with those you love and adore.
3. Identify when you start to drift – we all get caught up in one thing or another, when you notice you are drifting reflect and focus on your awareness and re-address your plan.
4. Respond – Don’t React – always take your emotions into account but do not let your actions be ruled by your emotions.
5. Stay present – be focussed on the here and now, don’t reflect on the past, let it go, you can’t change the past.
6. Acceptance – accept reality so negative emotions don’t increase as this will go a long way to you finding your balance.

Find your balance, because I believe that the secret to your happiness is flowing not forcing!
 

Charmaine Grant

Head of Relationship Management – Queensland & Northern Territory
Institute of Managers and Leaders

Charmaine has the opportunity each day to empower and inspire her team, members and communities to be better managers and leaders.

After many years of travelling the world and settling in Sydney working in Events and Communications, Charmaine relocated to the Sunshine State to be closer to her family 4 years ago and it was the best thing she has ever done.