By Marcia Reynolds (USA)
Many of my coaching clients laugh when the concept of work/life balance is mentioned. They not only think it is an impossible dream, they don’t see it as a desirable goal to pursue. Why should they feel guilty about spending time doing what they love? They understand that they need to stay healthy and be present when they are with family members, but trying to balance their activities does not leave them feeling refreshed. One woman told me, “If I were to spend more time at home with my children, I would drive them crazy.” She found ways to get everyone’s needs met without going home from work at a specific time every day.
Even the clients that come to me with the need for more joy and calm in their lives are not looking to decrease their workload. They are not looking for balance; they are looking for peace of mind.
Source: iCN Issue 12 (Personal Coaching); pages 31-32
About Marcia Reynolds
Marcia works with organisations worldwide, providing Executive Coaching and leadership training. She is the author of three books, Outsmart Your Brain, Wander Woman: How High-Achieving Women Find Contentment and Direction, and her latest on leadership coaching, The Discomfort Zone. She is the Training Director for the Healthcare Coaching Institute, regularly works with coaching organisations in China and Russia, and is the president of the Association for Coach Training Organizations (ACTO). Her doctorate is in organizational psychology. Read more at www.Outsmartyourbrain.com
