By Stacia Williams

Do you remember the day when you got your first company issued pager/cell phone/blackberry? Exciting wasn't it? Of course it was! They don't just give them to anybody you know — that little gadget had power and sealed the deal. When you clipped it on your belt, or held it in your hand everybody knew — it was official, you were now one of the new HNIC's available day, night or the wee hours of the morning to fix any problem that may arise. You were the man (or woman)!

It was a great feeling until you realized that the small transmitter clipped on your belt or safely secured in your handbag was just like an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet. It could track you while in the shower, ring in church, ring when you were out and about having a good time with family or friends — ring, ring, ring, ring. You were a prisoner. Your life was no longer your own. "Would somebody please flush this thing down the toilet, it's ruining my life?" you cry. But your cries go unanswered because we all know that the device is not the problem, YOU ARE! Your work life is out of balance.

"But my staff don't call me all hours of the night" you might say. So what.

There are other signs that your work life is out of balance especially if:

* Everyday your mission is simply "to make it through the day"

* By Thursday you feel like you're not going to make it to Friday, but by some miracle you make it, but you're completely exhausted

* You feel as if you are on a merry-go-round and wish someone would let you off.

* You constantly feel as if you're falling behind and can never catch up.

* You've become a recluse. Work home, work home. No social life with friends or family — and here is the kicker, you don't see anything wrong with this lifestyle neither do you care! (Depression will soon set in.)

* You never seem to have enough time to do the things you want to do for yourself, but plenty of time to cater to the needs of the job or –––––– fill in the blank).

* You are not a shift worker but you work on weekends.

* You don't get enough sleep.

* At home, you are often shut away from your family — working on your laptop, or they often hear you say: "I have to go the office, I'll be back."

* You have emotional burdens or addictive behaviors.

* Symptoms of stress are being manifested: Heart problems, sexual health problems, a weak immune system, frequent headaches, backaches, poor coping skills, irritability, insecurity, difficulty concentrating, binge eating, smoking and drinking.

* The people who matter most to you are complaining that you do not spend any quality time with them and their whining is working on your nerves.

Why is it important to have balance in your life?

Simply because without it, things will only get worse. And according to Steven Hobfoll PhD (Professor of Psychology at Kent State University) allowing your life to continuously overpower you can lead to exhaustion, depression and anxiety disorders. Not only will your career suffer, but health and family as well. "Relationship problems will get more serious, burnouts will become more severe. You will do your job badly and possibly get fired."

So how does one restore work life balance?

* Get it into your head. Your job won't love you back!

If you drop down de---------(you will be replaced before you can say ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

* Hobfoll suggests getting rid of the "mythology of the rat race".

He believes that investing time in the people that really matter will benefit your career. He says "intimacy is one of the main things that counteracts burnout and stress". In the same way, investing time in yourself will benefit your relationships, so carve out time to do the things that you enjoy.

* Separate work from the rest of your life: Protect your private time.

Turn off the cell phones, blackberry and pagers for set hours. Do not be available 24/7. Carve out time for yourself and your relationships and don't let work intrude or spoil these times.

* At the end of the day set your priorities for the following day.

Please be realistic about what you can accomplish.

* Take ALL of your vacation time.

Not two days here, three days there, but ALL two weeks. Taking your vacation will allow you to come back refreshed and certainly more productive.

* Accept help from family and friends when you need it. My husband and I recently agreed to split our workout times. He works out in the mornings, I'll go in the evenings that way each of us take turns babysitting our six-year-old. When we need a night out Grammy Williams or my daughter helps out.

* Plan fun and relaxation into your schedule.

It's your schedule, you're in charge, and you can do what you want. It's up to you to make the time.

* Realize that striving for 100 percent perfection will cause you to crash and burn. Build your team.

As much as you believe that you need to do everything yourself, if you want it to be done right, you're wrong. As a manager you have a shared responsibility with your team. If you choose not to rely on your team or feel that your team is not competent enough to get the job done in your absence, what does that say about your effectiveness as a manager? Delegate, delegate, delegate. But to effectively delegate you must first identify the right person(s) to complete the task. Train your team, set the standards and make your expectations clear, give them the tools they need to succeed, trust the team, have confidence in your team and build in accountability. Work smarter not harder!

* Learn to say NO even if your insecurities have you scared!

Stand up for yourself. Even if the person who is asking is feeding your ego and paying the bills. Remember the definition for work life balance (according to The Work Foundation): "Work life balance is about people having a measure of control over when, where, and how they work. It is achieved when an individual's right to a fulfilled life inside and outside paid work is accepted and respected as the norm, to the mutual benefit of the individual, business and society".

After reading this article fill in the blanks

* I need to start doing _______.

* I need to stop doing_______.

* I need to train____________ to help me.

* I need to do more_____________.

Many people are so busy making a living that they don't have time to make a life. Don't be one of them. You only have one life, live it to the fullest!