Work-Life Balance

A healthy work-life balance often seems like an impossible goal. Many of us balance hard work with daily pressures from family, friends and ourselves while striving to stay healthy, fit in time for exercise, vacations, sports or leisure activities. It's no wonder that over 1 in 4 Americans describe themselves as super stressed! 

In our rush to “get everything done” at the office or at home, we often forget that elevated stress levels can reduce our productivity and concentration, leaving us irritable and anxious. Too much stress can also affect our happiness and wellbeing, especially for working parents. No one's job is solely about managing the endless cycle of housework, childcare and commuting, which can cause stress levels to skyrocket and cause further imbalance.

While stress in small doses can help us perform at our best, studies have shown that prolonged stress and the lack of healthy work-life balance can have serious consequences including, but not limited to: 

• Chronic and adrenal fatigue
• Compromised immune system 
• Coronary heart disease and stroke
• High blood pressure
• Sleep deprivation
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Increased risk for substance abuse
• Neglect of personal care, causing additional stress

How Stress Management Coaching can Help 

The good news is that if you learn to manage stress, you can achieve a healthier work-life balance. The right support and plan are essential. Personal coaching provides the roadmap, step-by-step guidance and skills to help you regain focus and control faster by helping you to: 

Understand your stress response.  When faced with a stressful situation (e.g., work deadline , job loss), your brain recognizes the challenge and sounds an alarm, allowing you to respond quickly. Stress hormones flood your body, causing a fight-or-flight” response (e.g., increased heart rate, rapid breathing, muscle tension). Observing physiological changes is the first step in learning how to deal with stress more effectively. 

Identify your triggers. Everyone experiences stress differently (e.g., pain, headaches, trouble sleeping, stomach aches, anger, sadness). Paying attention to the emotional and environmental stressors that trigger your reactions can help you control the negative effects of stress. Take a  free stress quiz to identify the causes of your personal and work stress.

Improve your lifestyle. Stress can be minimized by making small but impactful changes to unhealthy eating, exercise, sleep, mental and social habits. In fact, recent studies show that 80% of stress-related diseases (e.g., heart disease, stroke, type II diabetes) and 40% of cancers can be prevented by improving your diet and lifestyle.

Manage negative moods. Many people spend most of their days feeling stressed, frustrated and overwhelmed, often unnecessarily. By understanding  how negative emotions and thoughts arise, you can learn skills to redefine them and develop a more positive, productive mindset. This is just as important as eating well and getting enough exercise and sleep.

Develop new coping skills. Deep breathing, muscle relaxation, meditation and guided imagery are powerful mindfulness techniques you can easily learn to reduce stress in your body and brain. In a recent UCLA study, participants who learned and practiced mindfulness for just five minutes a day over a three week period significantly reduced their stress. They also experienced increased life satisfaction and more positive relationships with others. 

Learn how personal coaching can help you live with greater ease, joy, balance and wellbeing. Explore our Stress Management Programs and schedule a free, 30-minute, no-obligation Discovery Call.  We work with clients nationwide, across all 50 U.S. states.