Stress management articles, work life balance articles, and life balance tips

When athletes train to run long distances, they work on keeping up with their 'pacers' who set a speed for them to keep up with. In business, often it is your clients, customers, KPIs, or managers who set your pace. A marathon may last hours, so the pace can be sustained - but in business the pace can go on for weeks, months or years.

Trying to meet everyone's needs, all the time, in their time frame is exhausting, impractical and unsustainable.

Reactional activity is the process of placing high priority, focus and effort to meet other people's needs. Reactional activity helps you attend to your clients/KPI needs, get work done quickly, and keep everyone happy.

Whilst this is an important attribute, it often leads to people expecting you to be available whenever they need you, working till 2.30am to meet unrealistic deadlines and, ultimately, burning yourself out.

If you are always in Reactionary mode, you will take on too much work, and have trouble saying 'no' to projects and people who ask for help, and find it difficult to switch off.

Maintaining appearances that 'we can handle everything and are doing fine' is a high priority for many Legal professionals. The irony is that, behind the scenes, many Lawyers are struggling with the increasing workload, relentless hours and continual client demand for their time. More people now are leaving the Legal profession to find work that is more lifestyle-friendly.

Reactional activity signs:
a. You always make yourself available to your clients and colleagues
b. You have trouble speaking up, saying 'no' in fear of people not wanting to do business with you or losing your job.
c. You always work tirelessly to meet deadlines set by clients/managers - often
working early or late
d. Your family often ask you to email a recent picture of yourself so that they can remember what you look like.

Directional activity is the process of determining what your working capacity is to produce reliable and good quality output, and then prioritise both your needs and your clients/KPI needs to fit your available time.

Directional activity helps you focus on your most important activity and gives you permission to say 'no' or 'yes, but...' so that you can meet your assigned tasks on time, to a high standard, without it costing your wellbeing or morale.

The challenge with Directional activity is that it will require you to say what you mean, have discipline with your time and risk people not liking you because you don't want to 'fit in' and accept everyone's expectations of what you should do.

Directional activity signs:
a. You are clear to your clients/team what you can get done within the time frame
(and with the resources) available.
b. You work hard, but know when to stop
c. You prioritise your time, energy and focus on the high priority activities (you get the important stuff done first)
d. You accept your capacity and respect your body's need to rest and unwind.

The solution is not about choosing the 'best' mode, but rather integrating both types into your working day so that you think and work in the most effective and streamlined way.

You may need to be more Directional when negotiating project time frames, client expectations, or your own work-life balance. Being Reactional would serve you when replying to client issues and dealing with unexpected problems.

Find your balance between Directional and Reactional to get more done in your day,
and still have time and energy for a life.