1. Overbooked? Stressed? Learning to say no can help balance some of that out. Learn to say a hard word (no) in a soft way.
2. Balance is about maintaining harmony among the many interacting roles you play. Focus daily on what matters most to you and proceed accordingly.
3. Planning is nothing more than choosing to manage your time instead of having your time manage you.
4. Reward yourself. Even for small successes, celebrate achieving your goals. Promise yourself a reward for completing each task or finishing the total job. Then keep your promise to yourself and indulge in your reward. Doing so will help you maintain the necessary balance in life between work and play.
Linda Hensel is a training and development specialist with the State Personnel Administration.
