Learning from Celebrities about Work Life Balance

Suzanne Somers used to work 16 hours a day, six days a week, but not anymore. “It’s not worth dying over business,” she says. “They’re not going to say at my funeral, ‘and she worked harder than anyone.’” Somers, a former star on Three’s Company, is now a best-selling author and the entrepreneur behind ThighMaster and about a dozen clothing, jewelry, food and beauty lines. Along the way, she’s learned to delegate. Trusting her team to do their part allows her to write books , and create and sell products.

Actress Mandy Moore credits her family and friends with keeping her grounded as she grew up in the spotlight. Being grounded and balanced is important to her, so much so that she chairs uPumpItUp.com, a site aimed at helping women balance their lives. Moore wants women to realize that they’re worthy of taking time for themselves. “Having that sense of balance in life between personal and all that other stuff is kind of essential to leading a happy life,” she says.

Francis Ford Coppola doesn’t believe in a life half-lived. His advice is to “only do it if you have the passion for it. Only do anything for that reason.”

Trust – Balance – Passion: Three essentials to meaningful daily achievement and enjoyment. Do you feel as though you’re rushing through life, too busy to really enjoy it? At the end of the day, do you feel you’ve achieved something worthwhile? If not, what can you do to build trust, balance and passion into your daily routine?

Delegate. Outsource. If you are trying to do it all yourself, STOP. At work, rely on your team or build a team you can rely on. At home, divide the workload fairly between all family members or consider hiring someone to help with regular or seasonal chores.

Be “in the moment” whether at work or with your family . Straddling the fence by never really leaving work shortchanges your family. If you have children at home, find activities that you can enjoy together as a family. Schedule date nights and special weekends with your significant other. Stay focused … no checking email … no answering business calls. Business can wait for a couple of hours while your family enjoys your top priority.

Add “me time” into your daily schedule. Guard that time and use it creatively. “Me time” is not the same as TV time. Read, write, draw, build, exercise – whatever you choose, allow it to lift you up and recharge your batteries.

Each day is a journey toward something. Begin today to create or find meaningful daily achievement and enjoyment in your work, with your family and friends, and in your personal goals.