Self Management Skills for Work/Life Balance, Part 1: Combine Your Self Care with Your Identity Goals

Self Management is your ability to use your Self Awareness to direct your thoughts and behaviors in a positive, constructive way — not only during “intense” moments but also in your daily rhythm.

When you manage yourself well, you have the energy and mental clarity to prioritize well and to accomplish your most important work in all areas of your life.

There are many Self Management practices but today I am focusing heavily on the practice of making Self Care a priority.

2 Big Ideas

1. Using your Self Awareness skills, determine what activities fill your self care needs best.

I like to bring in the 80/20 rule for determining the most effective Self Care activities.

“What are the top few (20%) Self Care activities that will bring me the most (80%) Self Care satisfaction?”

2. Along with determining your most effective Self Care activities, tie in your self care activities to your identity goals.

Here’s what the combination of those 2 ideas looks like for me.

I want to be a wife and a mother who is healthy and has the energy to do the things that my loved ones want to do instead of being a tired, grouchy, lethargic wife and mom. So, I need to eat the foods that give me energy, I need to get enough sleep, I need to get physical activity in, and I need at least an hour of quiet time alone every morning (so that I feel centered and at peace). I go for bike rides with my youngest son 2 or 3 times a week because he and I both really enjoy that. With my self care practices, I am able to be an attentive wife to my husband.

I encourage you to do a similar exercise for the different “identities” or roles that you have. Here’s a fill-in-the-blanks sentence to get you started.

I want to be a great ____________ so that I can _____________ so I will ________________.

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