Juggling life – Finding a balance with school, work, family, and social life Part II

Set your own standards

·         Strive for High Achiever, not Perfectionist.

·         Being a perfectionist is not what it is cracked up to be. Being a perfectionist may mean making compromises where you miss out on the special moments of your life, including time with your spouse and your family. You may short-change yourself, your friends, or your boss. Don’t live by someone else’s standards. You are the only you out there and there will never be anyone as unique as you. Set your own standards that you are willing to hold yourself accountable to.

·         You can have self-defeating thoughts and set unrealistic goals which is often fueled by the need for others’ approval if you feel that you need to be a perfectionist. Other side effects of perfectionism are low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, guilt, rigidity, lack of motivation, procrastination, eating disorders, and/or relationship problems.

·         You can be a high achiever without being a perfectionist. You can do this by:

o   Set high but achievable standards

o   Enjoy the process, not just the outcome.

o   Monitor your positive and negative thoughts

o   Viewing mistakes as opportunities to grow and to learn.

o   React positively to constructive feedback.

Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle and Self-Care

·         Your emotional and physical well-being needs to be balanced as much as your academic and professional roles need to be. You could do this by maintaining an active and informed wellness plan.

·         Exercise and sleep regularly.

·         Eat healthily.

·         Make time for YOURSELF. That means finding ways to relax, relieve, tension, and minimize stress. It will not only benefit yourself but to those who interact with you on a daily basis.

·          Enjoy time with your family and friends

Family Time and Childcare

·         Spend quality/focused time with your family. They should have your attention during this time. Develop rituals that you and your family will look forward to. Put that project away and forget it until after you are done with spending time with your family.

·         The quality of your relationships can determined your work-family balance. Sometimes, focusing on academics can cause strife in your personal relationships which in turn can cause you to have less support. It can go the other way around as well. Focusing on your personal life can cause a lower grade on a project.

·         Leaving your child at childcare can be hard but leaving your child in capable hands and with someone you feel confident with can ease the tension a little. Communication with your childcare provider can also lessen your anxiety.  When leaving your child at childcare, show that you are ok with leaving without your child and will be back soon.

Focus on the Here and Now

·         Focus on the task in front of you. Don’t worry about what you are not doing. When you are in school, focus on school. When you are with your family, focus on your family. Focusing on other things can cause others to think they are not important to you and can cause you not give your best on the project at hand.

Don't miss out the FINAL Part of Juggling life – Finding a balance with school, work, family, and social life! Based on Stacey Higgins workshop on March 12, 2014

If you would like to know more information or have questions, please contact Stacey Higgins at stacey.higgins@maine.edu.

Juggling Life Part I Link
Juggling Life Part III Link