Idea of the Month from Barbara Glanz
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER - THE IMPORTANCE OF ANCHORS
This idea is
excerpted from Balancing Acts: More Than 250 Guiltfree, Creative Ideas to BLEND Your Work and Your Life, –Barbara A. Glanz, Dearborne, 2003. To order this book, go to the PRODUCT section of Barbara’s
website.
Now that we have explored all the areas of your life, ask yourself the question: “What have I done this week to blend:
Work and Family?
Work and Friends?
Work and Health?
Work and Spirit?
Work and Service?”
Even if you have done only one thing in each of these areas, be proud of yourself. You have become aware, conscious and deliberate about blending!
As I mentioned in the preface, it is ironic that as I write this book on balance and blending, I am at a point in my life in which my balance is more precarious that it has ever been! What I have discovered through all of this, however, is that our lights can continue to shine as beacons to guide others as long as we have anchors to hold onto. Just as the lighthouse stands firm to keep the ships from crashing upon the shore, the anchors we choose in life help to keep us focused and “on track.” Although some of my anchors have changed drastically in the last two years, I have realized that others have become even more important in my life, and these include my faith, my family, my friends, and the National Speakers Association.
As you think about ways you can incorporate the ideas in the book to blend work and the other important parts of your life, it is vitally important to become aware of your anchors, especially the anchors that do not depend upon your job.
- Who or what gives you a sense of belonging, of rootedness, of security?
- Who or what is important to keep you focused and conscious of heading in the right direction in your life?
- Who or what would leave a huge void in your life if it/they went away?
- Who or what do you value more than most other things in your life?
- Where do you find your identity as a unique individual?
- Who would miss you if you were gone?
LIST YOUR ANCHORS HERE:
If you realize that you don’t have any anchors in your life outside of your job, make it a priority to find some. Join a support group, a hobby group, a professional organization, or a church or synagogue. Focus on one or two special friends and work on developing a close, sharing relationship with them. Are there family members you are particularly close to? If so, work on cultivating a new, closer relationship with them. Even if you do not fully realize it, you may have some anchors in your life, perhaps as simple as the relationships with the people you ride with on the train each day to work. These anchors will give you stability and balance as you work on a new way of approaching your life.
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