If you’re like most of us, you probably split your life into two categories: your work and your personal life. It’s a common association but in reality, the two worlds aren’t as distinct as we think they are. Your lives at work and home actually have a very strong relationship with one another. In this blog we discuss why aligning your goals across the two can be so beneficial.

You also tend to set goals for yourself in both spheres of your life. Personal goals can include anything from spending more time with your family, to hitting the gym or reading one book per month.

At the office, you probably work toward business-related goals, too. You might have your eyes set on a new promotion or, if you’re a business owner, might want to bring a new product line to an international market.

Each set of goals requires time to accomplish. Unfortunately, just like everyone else, you only have so much time in your week to accomplish what you’d like. There are ways to do a better job of balancing your work-life equilibrium. But sometimes the two sets of goals are simply too different to reconcile. 

To be able to make those important decisions in your life, you first need to understand the dynamic that exists between your business and personal goals and then compare them to one another. In this post, we’ll look at how to do just that.

Setting up your business and personal goals

The first step to aligning your goals is to understand them in the first place. 

There’s a good chance that your business goals are already concrete. You probably spend most of your days at the office working toward them. That’s because you have a professional responsibility to set them up and make progress toward them.

On the other hand, many people don’t create goals in their personal lives. For one, there are fewer accountability mechanisms to help you implement them. There are also more distractions that tend to get in the way of setting them up. But that doesn’t change the fact that you need them.

For help setting up your priorities, a business or career coach can go a long way.  Or, if you’re going it alone and struggling to create your goals, there are plenty of helpful exercises to consider. 

For instance, try modelling your goals after someone you admire. It’s been said that mimicry is the finest form of flattery. Try to list the aspects of their careers or family life that you admire most. By taking a closer look at others, this exercise will also help you learn about yourself.

Or, try to categorise the important parts of your life. Breaking down your goals into categories can help you think straight and make clearer decisions. Try thinking about your education, fitness or financial situations to help spark some creative goal-setting in those areas.

Comparing your goals

Now that you have your personal and business goals on paper, how do they compare to one another? 

If you feel like you can meet all your commitments, that’s great! Now all you have to do is add measures and keep an eye on your progress. Measuring progress not only helps you stay on track but can also be the extra nudge to help you achieve something great.

Or, if you think your business goals will get in the way of your personal ones, then it’s time to make some adjustments. Don’t worry – it doesn’t have to be a scary or intimidating process. Even small tweaks can work wonders for your goal-setting process.

For example, Chris Guillebeau, a world traveller and serial entrepreneur, says that it’s perfectly okay if goals change over time. Goals are fluid because of your evolving skills and your changing levels of interest. Think back to your favourite hobbies when you were in secondary school. Are they still the same as now? Probably not.

With that in mind, think about both sides of your goal-setting equation: business and personal.

What can you do from the business end of things to help bring your goals closer together? 

• Do you have the resources to hire new staff to help reduce your workload and free up your time? 
• Can you learn a new skill in order to speed things up in your business?

Do the same for your personal goals:

• If you’re coming short of your goal to read a book a month, then think about some ways to fit more reading time into your life. Try checking out audiobook formats of your favorite reads so you can multitask on your commute to work. 
• Or, if you’re having a tough time finding time to be with your kids, try looking for daycare options that are closer to your work or home. Reducing the time it takes to pick them up or drop them off can increase your quality time together.

The only rule of thumb for aligning your goals is to get creative! It’s your life – there is no challenge that’s insurmountable and no task that’s too small if it helps you feel fulfilled.

The benefits of aligning your goals

The nice thing about aligning your personal and business goals is that you’ll be able to reap many important benefits.

For one, getting your goals in sync can add to your sense of identity and cohesion at work. If you’re an employee, your personal values will start to shine through in the work that you do. Or if you’re a business owner, your leadership style will become linked to your personality and personal values. Bringing your goals and values together is a great way to lay a solid foundation in your career.

In addition, by looking inward at your goals, you’ll probably force yourself to think critically about how you spend your time. The self-reflection may lead you to free up some time to enjoy the finer things in life or reduce the time you spend doing things you don’t enjoy. That way, you’ll feel happier, be more productive and feel more accomplished at work and at home.

What a coach can do

While it’s possible to embark on a goal-setting journey by yourself, the best results may come from enlisting professional help. A business coach is someone who can assess you on a personal and professional level in order to help you create goals for yourself.

A coach has the professional experience to set up goals that are measurable, inspirational and consistent with your values. On top of that, you’ll get the help you need to synchronise your business goals with your personal ones.

Book a free 15-minute discovery call with one of our business coaches today to find the right coach for your business.