Why work life balance is overrated and how moments of calm are

entirely possible!

ByAn Coppens

CEO of Balanced Exec

Work life balance is a myth

• As an expert in the field, I am convinced that work life balance is totally overrated.

• My definition in 2007: “Work life balance happens when an individual has enough income to cover living & lifestyle expenses and has satisfactory time to engage in lifestyle pursuits, family, education and career.”

Work is also life?

So why do we want work life balance?

Life doesn’t stop in work?!

What I often hear is…

Stress statistics

• In 2010/2011 10.8 million work days were lost due to work related stress– That’s 30,000 years!!!!!!!!!

• Women accounted for 5.9 million days and men for 4.9 million

• UK based statistics

Reasons for stress

• Change in job• Work relationships• Work load• Inappropriate behaviour

(eg bullying)• Work conditions• Traumatic incidents• Career issues

Male Female4% 25%42% 8%20% 32%12% 7%

2% 1%3% 6%3% 4%

U.S. statistics

• Percent of people who regularly experience physical symptoms caused by stress 77 %

• Regularly experience psychological symptoms caused by stress 73 %

• Feel they are living with extreme stress 33 %• Feel their stress has increased over the past five years

48 %• Cited money and work as the leading cause of their

stress 76 %• Reported lying awake at night due to stress 48 %

Stress impact statistics• Percent who say stress has a negative impact on their personal and

professional life 48 %• Employed adults who say they have difficulty managing work and

family responsibilities. 31 %• Percent who cited jobs interfering with their family or personal time

as a significant source of stress. 35 %• Percent who said stress has caused them to fight with people close

to them 54 %• Reported being alienated from a friend or family member because of

stress 26 %• Annual costs to employers in stress related health care and missed

work. $300 Billion• Percent who say they are "always" or "often" under stress at work 30

%

Is balance really enough?

Is it even possible?

In the eyes of

Christine Lagarde, head of the IMFSpeaking to NBC television said:

‘I think you can in a way have it all as long as you can afford to be patient.‘But you cannot have it all at the same time. You must accept there will be failures.’

In my opinion…

• For the majority of people, it is a to strive for ideal

• Our thinking and beliefs need an overhaul

In life would you rather have fulfillment or balance?

When you are stressed, you need calm

Not balance?!

Create moments of calm

• Minimum 15 minutes every single day• Way more often when you can• Find out what calms you down• Do that very often

• Be gentle on you! It’s totally possible!

Achievable!

Lead the boss in the mirror

Buy now

Buy your copy on: http://tinyurl.com/d3465dyAvailable on Amazon.co.uk

Thank you!www.balancedexec.com