Posts tagged ‘career satisfaction’
Satisfaction Trumps Balance
Alex Pollock
As a New Year begins I’m sure many have added “find balance” to those New Year Resolutions…again. Many have had this dream before, but maybe this year, finally, you believe that the balance meter can be moved in a favorable direction.
Please allow me to share some personal reflections. I believe that people are really looking for satisfaction in their lives, both personal and professional. Satisfaction is different for everyone. It’s personal. We hold the key to satisfaction. We must make the effort to know what is really important to us. As leaders, we can contribute to the satisfaction of others but the responsibility for attainment is not ours.
Most people don’t have the energy they need to do the things they love and, disturbingly, don’t have the desire to do much about it. Being satisfied requires a strategy, focus, discipline and accountability. This is not a journey we should make on our own. We should have a coach or mentor alongside us.
Work is a richly rewarding part of a satisfying life. We need a workplace where we feel respected and appreciated, where our efforts make a difference, and where the challenges match our abilities.
Wishing you a year where what deeply satisfies you becomes clear and you have the courage to navigate a path to get there. Please be assured that satisfaction trumps balance!
What have been your experiences in finding satisfaction? What advice would you give those who are searching for it?
What’s good for you is good for your career
Alex Pollock
A few years ago I attended a workshop designed to equip employees to perform as “corporate athletes.” It was a powerful few days that centered on the idea that human beings need four sources of energy to operate at their best: physical (sustainability), emotional (security), mental (self-expression) and spiritual (significance).
The workshop replaced the old concept of work as a “marathon,” with the image of work as a series of “short sprints.” I left this workshop with the information necessary to improve my performance and resilience on the “sprints,” and the resolve to make some lifestyle changes.
I was reminded of this workshop recently while reading, “The Way We’re Working Isn’t Working” by Tony Schwartz, who wrote that “organizations undermine high performance by forever seeking to get more out of their people” instead of implementing ways to get them “freed, fueled and inspired to bring the best of themselves to work every day.”
The research by Schwartz and his colleagues at the Energy Project affirmed and advanced the actions for sustainable high performance I had been introduced to years earlier. These actions included:
- Adequate sleep: We require 7-8 hours of sleep each night to be fully rested.
- Take regular vacations: We are healthier and more productive when we get a break.
- Regular exercise: A daily mix of aerobic and strength training is desirable.
- Eat regularly: Never skip breakfast or lunch, and eat a diet of low-fat proteins and complex carbohydrates.
- Take regular breaks: After 120 minutes of effort, take a break.
- Focus on one thing at a time: Multi-tasking is ineffective
In reviewing these recommendations, I was saddened to acknowledge that some of my good intentions have evaporated over time…but it’s not too late. Any advice for me on things you are doing to be better equipped for success on the corporate track and what makes them stick?
