As we’ve discussed this month, encouraging a healthy mix of attention to work and other areas of life is a key leadership skill. While “balance” means different things to different people, paying attention to the subject is critical for personal and organizational health. Here are a couple of articles from Harvard Business Review that provided useful tips.
First, a recent study, Manage Your Work, Manage Your Life, asked senior leaders how they balance work and life priorities. Tips included:
- Define what balance looks like for you and set personal goals
- Manage technology; decide when, where, and how you will be available for work
- Build support networks
- Be selective about travel and relocation opportunities
- Collaborate with your partner
On the flip side, Help Your Overwhelmed, Stressed-Out Team provided specific strategies to help leaders support their staff.
- Make sure everyone understands the unique contribution the team makes to the organization’s mission and goals
- Evaluate workloads to be sure team members are able to focus on the highest priority areas
- Encourage team members to schedule at least an hour each day of uninterrupted time to focus on strategic work
- Carefully assess meetings and ensure they have a clear purpose and that the right people attend
- Set boundaries about after-hours work, including responding to email
- Lead by example
As leaders, we set the norms for ourselves and those we work with. How are you supporting balance for yourself and your staff?
Dee Anne Bonebright
Higher EDge 