Originally Posted on The Coaching Tools Company as The ABCs of Life Balance YOUR Way—with 10 Coaching Questions | by Lynda Monk MSW, RSW, CPCC
In my experience, most people will say they want more life balance.
So here are three things—the ABCs—that contribute to honouring life balance, whatever that might mean to you. And yes, I’m going to have some fun with this—because fun is one of my core values and it’s how I honour and achieve balance in my life!
Allow abundant AWARENESS
Be aware of what balance truly means to you at this time in your life. Be self-aware. Self-awareness helps you know what choices you need to make to honour the core value of balance (or harmony, peace, health, etc.) in your own life.
And be other-aware too. What does balance mean to your client?
With awareness comes an ability to adjust, shift and make choices that align with living our best and balanced lives.
I recommend engaging in a reflective practice such as journaling to continually learn and grow from your experiences.
Believe in beautiful BOUNDARIES
Boundaries. This is a very common word in helping professions, including coaching. We need to have boundaries with our clients, with our time, in our relationships and so on.
But what are boundaries, really?
There are so many types of boundaries; for example, there are professional boundaries, ethical boundaries, personal boundaries, time boundaries, physical boundaries and emotional boundaries. Boundaries are like imaginary lines that define us in relationship to something or someone else.
For example: I will put a boundary, in the form of setting a limit, on my time. When people want to talk to me about things, I book 10-minute calls. In the past, the same sort of connection or networking conversations would be an hour. The conversation often lacked a clear focus or agenda, and while lovely to have, they were not an efficient use of my work time. I put a time boundary in place now, and this allows me to better balance my time with more high-value or productive tasks.
So be discerning and have a clear sense of what you want and need to say “yes” to and also what you want to say “no” to. This discernment helps you create boundaries that can make a positive difference and support you with living a more balanced life.
Claim caring CURIOSITY
Curiosity is an open and expansive space and energy where all things are possible, even balance. So get curious about what balance means—what it looks like and feels like in your own life and circumstances—and help your clients do the same.
Caring curiosity is non-judgmental, compassionate and kind.
And get curious about balance specifically. Use the coaching skills of powerful questions, metaphor, imagery and more to explore balance for yourself and with your clients.
10 Powerful Questions to Explore Balance with Clients
Here are some examples of powerful questions I might ask coaching clients who want to explore balance in their lives:
- What does life balance mean to you?
- What does balance feel like?
- How do you know when your life is in balance?
- What do you notice or sense when things feel out of balance?
- Why is balance important to you? Explore balance as a possible core value.
- What metaphor best represents life balance for you?
- How does balance impact you living your best life? Why does it matter?
- Who helps you achieve balance? Who are your balance champions and supporters?
- What do you need in your workplace to help support work-life balance? What policies, leadership approaches and other factors are conducive to balance in your work life or workplace?
- When you think of something in perfect balance, what image comes to mind?
I also provide questions like this as journal prompts for my clients to reflect on between coaching sessions. I then invite them to share with me any insights they gained from their reflective journaling playwork in our next session.
Final musings on life balance
Whatever it is that stirs the feeling of balance in your soul, follow that.
Listen within for the wisdom of balance. Your whole being knows balance—and it also knows the conditions you need to achieve it.
Allow. Believe. Claim. BALANCE
in all the ways it wants to rise up
from within and around you.
If you liked this article about boundaries and life balance, you may also like:
- 4 Self-Love & Compassion Practices for You and Your Clients also by Lynda Monk
- Unlock Successful Life Balance with Practical Boundaries by Jenn Danielson
- Reduce Stress & Get More Done: Set These 3 Boundaries Around Your Time! by Julia Menard
