I read somewhere recently that the average person may put on a few hundred grams of weight per year and not notice it until a few years down the track, they realise they are carrying extra kilos. So it is with life balance: a few longer than normal work days here and there becomes the norm; volunteering to go on one committee easily becomes several committees, in no time at all; stopping exercising a few times because it can’t be wedged into a packed schedule becomes no exercise at all, eventually; using spare time to do overflow work, transport children, caring for others, becomes just how things are, so no time may be left for oneself. It’s an insidious, incremental process so subtle it takes a while to realise what has happened. What can you do when you realise you have been caught by the creep? Draw a circle on a piece of paper. Divide the circle into wedges that reflect the % of the time you currently spend in key life areas: career/work; family/friends; health; spiritual/personal; leisure/fun; giving/supporting. Then draw another circle and divide it into wedges that reflect the % of time you would like to spend in the key life areas. If there is a difference between the % in the first circle and the % in the second circle and you believe your life is out of balance in some way and want to do something about it, then take action, today!