So coach, you go home at 5 pm or some other reasonable hour, right? And you get plenty of sleep and eat very healthily while you’re in season too, huh? And of course your family is super happy with the amount of time you spend at home? I ask those questions with my tongue placed firmly in cheek, but the issue of work/life balance is a hot topic amongst employers all over…even the NCAA is on the bandwagon. In my mind, true balance isn’t an option while I’m in season (I’m a Division III coach, we don’t get “help” with stuff), but I look at the year as a whole and strive for balance over the long haul. I believe there are some things I can do for myself and others that will make each part of my life more enjoyable, in season or not. So let’s look at the…
4 Things You Must Do To Achieve Balance
Work: Coffee and colleagues. With those two things, I can conquer the world! Though I may consume caffeine at an alarming level while in season, it’s one of the things that makes me smile during the long days and weeks of season…try to take that away from me at your own risk. After all, isn’t one of the purposes of work/life balance to find happiness in all facets of life? Well, coffee makes me happy dangit! As do the other coaches I work with. Over the years, they’ve been instrumental in helping me work through problems, making me laugh, going out for lunches, and just generally being supportive. Where would we be without our colleagues?
Family: This is going to sound so stereotypically female, but I love cooking. Like big, extravagant meals cooking. But that’s hard to do during season, so I try to do this once a week for my family because it’s one of the ways that I can show them that I love them. Coaches, you may think this sounds sappy (that’s because it is), but you’re spending way more time at work than you are at home…make sure the fam knows that they’re important to you. My way is cooking…what’s yours?
Friends: I’m probably the worst at this one because most of my friends are coaches who are just as crazily busy as I am. But we need to be able to chat about things that are unrelated (gasp!) to our teams or even sports in general. What if, and I know this sounds crazy, we just talked to people about what’s going on in their lives and in ours? I’m going to have to remind myself to follow my own advice and stay connected with my friends while I’m in season.
Self: When I’m out of season, exercise is my preferred method of taking care of myself. In season? Just time to relax is huge…having an hour to sit and veg out has an amazing impact on my outlook on life. A close second? Spending my Sunday afternoon watching NFL games at a sports bar while munching on yummy wings and a tasty beverage. Whatever your “thing” is, make sure to do it. Taking time for yourself is essential so that you can give your best to your team.
Hopefully you were thinking of things that you currently do that affect your happiness level in those four areas. I know this stuff isn’t rocket science, sometimes we just need to be reminded of what we already know we should be doing.
Now go out and be balanced!
