Work is Life, Life is Work!
When working with corporate leaders, I often share the concept of “work is life, life is work.” It comes up often because most people do not make the connection between their personal and professional lives. We tend to look at ourselves as very different when we transition between home and work. Of course, we present ourselves in a professional manner in the workplace which is in stark contrast to the way in which we show up amongst family and friends. There are stories that we don’t tell and jokes that we don’t share in the workplace. However, the essence of who we are continues. The challenges and barriers that arise will manifest in both experiences.
When I discover that leaders have difficulty with creating boundaries at work, they tend to have the same challenge amongst family and friends. Same trait, different application. After-all, you are the same person everyone where you go!
The reason that I tend to highlight this concept is because we can decide to start with either our personal or professional lives in order to use the tools that we discover. When we are seeking a breakthrough in our professional lives, we can start with something very familiar. We can start setting boundaries in our personal lives first. Often times, the personal experience feels safer to exercise new habits and ways of being. It can feel safer telling a friend or family member “no” than our colleagues or direct reports.
It is equally useful to practice leadership skills in your personal life as it is in your professional life. Some may find it easier to set boundaries at work than at home. Whatever your situation or circumstance, it is helpful to focus in one area of your life that you wish to evolve. Those skills will translate into other areas of your life.
Here are some simple steps:
- Think about an area in you professional life that you wish to improve.
- Ask yourself, where does this show up in my personal life?
- Decide where you would like to make 1 simple change.
- Figure our how you may translate that habit into other areas of your life.
- Monitor your progress.
If you would like to discover how we may support you or your team in your personal or professional growth and development, contact us at [email protected].