Achieving Balance Starts with a Positive State of Mind

Winston Wellness provided a “Work-Life Balance & Creating Work-Life Integration” webinar to firm members on July 23, kicking off our third quarter Year of Mental Health programming focused on achieving balance in professional and personal endeavors and finding joy in simple acts of kindness.

Presented by the firm’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provider, Carebridge, this webinar offered tips and strategies for answering the question: What’s the best use of my time right now? Through Winston’s EAP benefit, all firm members have access to confidential mental wellness and work-life resources.

Learning objectives included practical methods for managing time, improving organizational skills, balancing life’s roles to remain focused at work and home, and directing one’s attention in a positive way. Here are five key points attendees took away from the program:

• We live in real time, and real time exists between your ears. You create real time, and anything you create, you can manage. With intentional planning, flexible thinking, and self-compassion, you can do things right while keeping focused on doing the right things.
• Time and energy are finite resources, and over-commitment is a common issue. Achieving work-life balance means you need to be protective of your time, selective in its use, and assertive in communicating this—including saying no to people who sap their energy.
• Putting your own oxygen mask on first isn’t selfish, it’s self-care. Intentionally schedule time for meditation or other relaxation techniques, exercise activities that you enjoy, and healthy meal and snack preparation. These daily deposits into your own well-being savings account are necessary for balance, stress management, and resilience.
• Balance is about making wise choices every hour of your day at work and at home. Make daily lists of to-dos, accurately assess the time needed and time allotted to complete them, limit or stop doing things that distract from getting needs met, and be okay with doing the best job you can.
• Challenge yourself to think in a different way. When you catch yourself dwelling on one negative detail instead of looking at the big picture, setting unrealistic expectations, or catastrophizing yourself into a state of anxiety, put the brakes on, make a good choice, and reframe your thinking in a positive way

Our goal for Year of Mental Health is to provide firm members with strategies to enhance their own mental health and that of their loved ones and colleagues. We look forward to providing more information on this and other Winston Wellness programs throughout the year.