TRENDS & OUTLOOKS
The new
work/life balance
Ryan Benn President, Teldon Media Group President and Publisher, Alive Publishing Group
After 13 years as a president, I may still be learning what it means to be the best leader – but I know it includes a healthy lifestyle.
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ull disclosure: I don’t actually believe in work-life balance. To me, the term implies that work is bad, and life is good. It sets us up for failure by reinforcing the idea that our career ambitions and personal pursuits are at odds with each other. And most Canadians aren’t achieving that elusive work-life balance. So why not focus simply on balance?
Integrate work and life
Rather than segmenting your day into “work” (career, ambitions, meetings) and “life” (health, family, hobbies), look for ways to combine them. For me, that might mean firing off work emails while I’m pedaling away on the exercise bike.
©iStock.com/bernardbodo
Create meaningful escapes
Build moments of fun into your week. Rather than looking forward to that one annual vacation to Hawaii, for example, why not plan a midweek visit to a trendy new restaurant? Scheduling a Saturday ski session with friends always motivates me through a slow week.
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Exercise and eat well
When you’re fit and healthy, you have more energy and can accomplish more. But don’t just take my word for it. A 2016 study found that being in excellent health is associated with greater career satisfaction.2 Feeling great about yourself is also one of the best ways to have people feel positive about you.
58% of us report feeling
Royal LePage Agent Survey
What kick-starts your morning routine, for a productive day? Getting up early and starting the day with coffee/breakfast An energetic morning workout Organizing the day’s to-do list Checking emails and new listings
overwhelmed by our many roles at home and at work1
Canadian Mental Health Association. “Work Life Balance – Make it Your Business.” August 29, 2017. Starmer AJ, Frintner MP, Freed GL. “Work-Life Balance, Burnout, and Satisfaction of Early Career Pediatricians.” Pediatrics. 2016 Apr;137(4). doi: 10.1542/peds.2015-3183. Epub 2016 Mar 28.
2019 / ROYAL LEPAGE LEADING EDGE
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