Self Management Skills for Work/Life Balance, Part 3: Uncommon Productivity Practices

In my previous post in the series, I shared some strategies for making sure that you remember to do the Self Care activities that are most effective for you.

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 which will help you improve your Work/Life Balance.

Today’s focus is Productivity (Time Management) which falls within the Self Management skill set of Emotional Intelligence.

In previous posts about productivity, I’ve mentioned that I am a big fan of the 80/20 Rule and of the Eisenhower Matrix. I apply them to both my personal and professional lives.

Here are 3 more self management practices that I use that support my work/life balance.

1. I gave up the trap of perfectionism. Trying to make everything “perfect” is a waste of time and energy. Don’t get me wrong. I love excellence. But I don’t fall into the trap of thinking things need to be perfect to be effective.

2. I’ve learned to be selective about what I say yes to. I say no much more often than I used to (in both my personal and professional lives). When I get a request that requires a time commitment from me, I rarely say yes right away. I practice the pause before responding to a request. If it is clear that the request is a win/win, then I say yes quickly. If I’m not sure, I will ask for a delay so that I can evaluate whether or not I have the time, energy, and desire to accept the request.

3. I rarely waste my time doing things that I am not good at. I know my strengths and I stick to what I am great at. The rest is either delegated, automated, simplified, or eliminated.

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