New Zealanders work longer hours than most other people in the world, which can make finding time to do the other things in life a real challenge. If you are struggling to do everything you want in your busy life, there are ways to find the balance that you're looking for.

Identify your priorities

What is most important to you at the end of the day? Write down your top 3 priorities in your life. It may be your family, friends, health, career, wealth, sports, travel or other interests. Make sure you allocate enough time to give your priorities your full attention and commitment. If you want to spend more time with your family but seem to spend too much time at work, look for ways to make it happen. Set aside family time where you are all together; talk to your employer about your hours; work on becoming more time-efficient.

Get rid of the unnecessary

Identify areas of your life that are not actually that important to you. Are you wasting time and energy on some things just because you have fallen into the habit of doing so? Reassess where your effort is going, and try to eliminate some stuff that does not fit in with your real priorities.

Start scheduling

I'm a great believer in scheduling your activities if you have a busy life. Use a planner, calendar, diary, or electronic device and schedule specific dates and times for your most important tasks. Setting deadlines will help you to be more efficient with your time. For example, if you need to complete a work report at home, set aside an appropriate time period to do it. Instead of thinking that you will do it "some time this week," write in your diary "work on and finish report Tuesday 7-9pm." When you know exactly when you will be doing things, you will be less stressed, as you're no longer worried about whether or not you will "find the time" to do them.

Delegate

Whether at work or at home, you can delegate some tasks to others. Don't feel that you have to do everything yourself when you can empower others to take responsibility.

Make room for relaxation

No matter how busy you are, there is always time to relax in a quiet space for at least 10 minutes a day. This gives you a chance to release tension and organise your thoughts. Far from taking time away from you, it will help you to do things more calmly and effectively.

If you live in Auckland, and would like to find out about personal coaching, visit www.eclipselifecoaching.com or call Kris on (09) 629 6080.
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