Is work-life balance a myth? The L.I.F.E. model helps you find balance and achieve your personal vision.
What makes a good job good? No matter who you ask, they’ll probably place “work-life balance” near the top of the list.
Here’s the thing—work is part of life! There is a 100% chance your sales career will bleed over to your personal life. Likewise, your personal life affects your work. The two can’t be separated. That’s why at Skillway, we prefer to talk about having a healthy work-life blend instead of thinking about it as something that needs to balance.
Still, the desire for “work-life balance” is more than just wanting flexible vacation days and shorter working hours. When we imagine success, our vision typically includes happiness, health, and enthusiasm—the benefits of a balanced life.
LIFE Balance: The Foundation for Success
Your career—especially if it’s in sales—is affected by everything going on in your life. Salespeople manage relationships every day, and they have to rely on themselves for motivation and energy to keep calling on prospects. Not to mention, a salesperson’s pay is directly tied to their performance!
If your life is out of balance, it will affect your sales revenue. So what makes a truly balanced life?
We can categorize the aspects of a successful life into four areas:
- Love
- Intellect
- Fitness
- Enthusiasm
As you can see, this forms the easy-to-remember acronym L.I.F.E. (but if you prefer, you can think of it as Heart, Mind, Body, and Spirit).
No matter how talented you are or how hard you work, if you abandon one of these areas, you’ll find it hard (if not impossible) to achieve your vision. They are like a foundation made of four pillars—if one is neglected and crumbles, the others become strained. You’ll have a strong foundation for success when all four pillars are healthy and cared for.
Let’s take a closer look at each pillar:
Love – (The Heart)
This pillar contains all your personal and professional relationships: Family, friends, co-workers, and even your referral partners.
Example action items: Counseling; dedicated time for date nights, family time, and socializing; networking; learning about different personality types and how to work with them; learning effective communication techniques
Intellect – (The Mind)
We need to keep growing mentally throughout our lives. How well do you invest in yourself and sharpen your mind? Is your job intellectually stimulating? If not, how are you challenging yourself elsewhere? Are you reading or taking classes?
Example action items: Take online courses; listen to interesting podcasts or audiobooks; start a new hobby; read more books
Fitness – (The Body)
Fitness is more than just exercise! This pillar includes having control over your diet and sleep schedule, managing stress, and taking care of your health.
Example action items: Change your diet; hire a personal trainer; incorporate daily exercise into your routine; create a sleep routine; join an activity group
Enthusiasm – (The Spirit)
Attitude is everything! This pillar is formed by your emotional (and/or spiritual) outlook on life. Are you working toward a life that will make you happier? Do you feel like your actions align with your beliefs and goals, or go against them? Do you contribute to the well-being of others?
Example action items: Start a gratitude journal; meditate or pray daily; incorporate daily affirmations; volunteer; be generous
Which Pillar Will You Work On?
There’s no 100% perfect balance between the different aspects of your life. Don’t worry about trying to divide your efforts perfectly across each pillar. Sometimes, one element gets far more focus than the others.
For example, when training for a marathon, you may have a period of a few weeks where you aren’t reading as much. You may even sacrifice time with family and friends. It’s okay—as long as it’s temporary! The danger comes when you neglect any one of the pillars for a prolonged period.
If you’re spending quality time on each L.I.F.E. pillar, you won’t worry as much about “work-life balance.” You’ll just have a well-balanced life with a solid foundation to pursue your vision of success!
A Skillway sales coach has the expertise and resources to help you build a balanced life. With your one-on-one sales coach, you’ll design a plan to CRUSH your sales goals—and you’ll have an experienced partner to keep you accountable and motivated. Ready to find out what a sales coach can do for your career? Use our contact form to schedule a FREE jumpstart session.
