BarTalk December 2004
Volume 16, Number 6

Mind, body and heart

By Maureen Fitzgerald

It seems that lawyers are trying harder and harder to achieve work-life balance, but very little seems to be working. Why is work-life balance so elusive?

Research shows that only about two per cent of people feel they are in balance. Recent Health Canada research indicates that Canadians are suffering from a serious decline in job satisfaction, reduced organizational commitment and a significant increase in job stress and absenteeism. The direct cost of high work-life conflict is in the range of three to five billion dollars annually.

Psychologists will tell you that change is slow and difficult and that any fundamental change must occur on several levels. In other words, we must learn about what is needed to change, we must adopt habits to bring about the desired change, and we must commit to this change. In order to increase your life balance you must adopt strategies at three levels: mind, body and heart. Here are some specific ways to begin to do this:

Level 1: Mind – Define balance
The first step in achieving life balance is to define what life balance means to you. This definition of balance is yours and yours alone. Try to recall when you had a reasonably balanced life. What did it look like? What were you doing? What made it so great? Now, try to remember times when your life was out of balance. What did it look like? What made it so terrible? Now, write out your definition of balance.

Level 2: Body – Eat, sleep and be merry
In my presentations I urge audiences to, “Eat, sleep and be merry.” You must at the very minimum, eat well, sleep and take breaks and enjoy an active life. Eating well usually involves being aware of what you eat and trying to eat better foods at more regular intervals. Sleeping well means sleeping at least six hours a night and getting the relaxation you need to rejuvenate your body. Being merry means doing things that bring you joy.

Level 3. Heart – Adopt positive beliefs and values
In order to make long-lasting change you must also shift at the level of “heart.” This relates to your motivation to get balanced. This motivation is driven by hidden beliefs and values that can either propel you into action or prevent you from even beginning. Without the proper beliefs, your efforts will be less successful. For example, many lawyers believe that if they do not work 80 hours a week they will not be an excellent lawyer. These beliefs keep us working long hours. Try replacing these beliefs with more constructive beliefs such as, “being happy and healthy is critical to my personal and professional success.” If you have beliefs that are not supporting your goal to be in balance they must be challenged.

If you truly want a more balanced life, you must shift at all three levels – mind, body, and heart. Do something about balance today. If not now, when? Maureen Fitzgerald is a lawyer and professional speaker. She is the author of four books including “Mission Possible-Creating a Mission for Work and Life” (Quinn) and “Hiring, Managing and Keeping the Best” (McGraw Hill). Email: info@thefitzgeraldgroup.ca

This article was published in the December 2004 issue of BarTalk and is subject to the copyright by the British Columbia Branch of the Canadian Bar Association, 2004, all rights reserved.