Personal vs. professional life

Perfect Balance B/w:

Here you go…

EVERY one has trouble keeping personal and professional lives apart.

We are human beings after all, and it is but natural that our personal and professional halves merge into one whole, in spite of our best efforts and intentions

The real problem arises only when one half starts hampering the effective functioning of the other.

For example, when things are not going too well on the professional front, our work suffers. Then it is time to stop and take notice. You have to make an all out attempt to compartmentalize (Classify) and keep your personal and professional life apart for the sake of your own sanity (good sense) and well-being. Else, you could end up losing both ways.

A few tips to save Personal & professional life:

Be yourself Worrying and procrastination

(put off doing something) Spot solution Personal problems Emotional maturity

Be yourself :

Every one of us has been blessed with unique abilities and talents, so let us not waste time worrying because we are not like other people

It is important to be honest and truthful to yourself

It is even more important to be able to love and respect yourself for being you

Once you come across as an honest and straightforward person, people are likely to be more understanding and less interrogative

Worrying and procrastination

"It is not work that kills, but worry."

Research into the subject indicates that a sizeable (large) majority of the human population is afflicted with WWS. i.e., Worry Wart Syndrome. Worrying produces unnecessary tensions and nervous fatigue.

If you are the type who worries a lot, allot a specific amount of time, say an hour or ten minutes (depending upon the degree with which you are afflicted with WWS), and utilize it solely for the purpose of worrying. If you get any worrisome thoughts during work, firmly admonish them and say to yourself. `Hey! WWT (worry wart time) is not until 5.30 pm. That's still 4 hours away

Say I have got work to do. So go away.

Spot solution:

People often make the mistake of putting off important decisions

When there are a huge number of problems, we tend to simultaneously dwell on all of them, worry about all of them, procrastinate about all of them but seldom (rarely) make a decision, even on one of them.

Take one problem at a time. Give priority to important and urgent problems If you have the facts required to make a decision,

don't put it off or procrastinate. Deal with it immediately, before you move to the next problem.

That way, you don't carry your work problems home with you or vice-versa.

Personal problems:There is no Market for your sorrows. So NEVER advertise feelings

Discussing your personal problems with office colleagues is a firm no-no.

It is similar to inviting disaster in both personal and professional life

It is advisable to have a friend circle outside the office, with whom you can discuss your personal problems

If you do have a trusted office colleague/ friend who you feel can help you out with your personal difficulties, always discuss personal matters with him outside the office

Discussing such problems during office hours or within the hearing of other office colleagues not only gives the impression that you are wasting office time, but such issues also become grist to the rumor mill

Emotional maturity:

Some evidence of emotional maturity are:

– Unselfish in sharing information – Acts wisely in human relations – Ability to tolerate other's disagreements or

behaviors without losing control or lashing out– Confidence– Commitment– Ability to express your feelings appropriately– Ability to recognize that no one is responsible for

your emotional state– Ability to forgive– Self-motivated – Sensitive to others' feelings and concerns – Appreciates the differences in people

Continuing…

EQ or the emotional quotient that determines how people react to a given situation plays an important role in ascertaining (determining) how well individuals are able to stay in control of both their personal and professional lives

One has to learn to be emotionally mature and not over react, to personal/ work situations and pressures

At work, understand that any criticism is probably not personal, but professional.

You will be able to handle things better if you condition yourself to be professionally involved but emotionally detached, as far as your work is concerned.

The trick is to identify yourself more with your profession and less with the company

Extracted from the Article published in “THE HINDU” on Wednesday, Aug 11th

2004