Impatience Is Often A Sign You Are Out Of Balance

When people think about work-life balance, they often think about time. But what about the ripple effect that happens when you're out of balance, such as your impatience with others?

I am not talking about everyday minor frustrations where you can still keep your cool (for the most part). We all get annoyed, frustrated, and impatient at times – we are human, after all.

I am talking about the level at which you are feeling impatient or frustrated and how you react to it.

Are people "driving you crazy"? Do you stop being kind to others when the pressure is on? Or do you often yell at your kids when rushing out the door in the morning or at the end of a long day even though you don't mean to?

Are you reacting to those everyday frustrations in a way that isn't aligned with your values and the person you want to be, and it is making things worse?

If this sounds familiar to you, know this first and foremost . . .

THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH YOU!

All the stress, frustration and overwhelm are just hiding your best. And it's easy to feel this way when you have too much on your plate, you're exhausted, and you're pulled in too many directions between work and home.

That’s why impatience is often a sign you are out of balance, and it's a cue to pay attention.

Instead of plowing through, you can slow down in the moment.

Instead of losing your patience, you can take a deep breath or even step away if you need to reset.

Instead of burning the candle at both ends, you can honor what you need, take care of yourself and show up in a way that reflects the person you want to be.

Instead of being hard on yourself, you can let go of the guilt, be kind to yourself, and remember: the past is the past. Learn from it and move on.

Instead of staying in the unhelpful pattern, you can figure out how to regain control of your days and create more balance in your life and within yourself.

So, what is your impatience telling you? And what is one thing you can do this week that will help you be more balanced?

All my best,

What Next?

You can sign up for Stacey's masterclass, The Confident "No" here.

Stacey L. Olson is a Leadership and Certified Positive Psychology Coach, has 15 years of corporate experience and has gone through her own transformational change from burning out to balanced in life while performing at a high level (both in her corporate career and own business). She works with professionals who want to work less, live more and be their best even with all the demands, high expectations and messiness of everyday life. Stacey is the founder of The Balanced Leader™ program and offers executive and leadership coaching, workshops, and speaking.