5 Tips for a Better Work/Life Balance
Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is easier said than done. Period!
Most average American Joes, if not all, struggle with the seemingly impossible task to acquire a sense of balance between their professional and personal life. And thanks to the oh-so-advanced smartphones, people are never really "off work" More often than not, employees find themselves responding to emails or checking files for discrepancies way past their working hours-hence ruining their chance of having a balanced life. However, it doesn't have to be this way!
If you wish to lead a more wholesome life and not be stuck in the hamster wheel of the corporate world, then you should stick by the following tips for a better work/life balance.
Say No When Needed
Saying 'no' can be a massive deal for some people because they are too polite to send someone away. While politeness is an admirable quality that one should have, an excess of it can be detrimental as others might begin to take advantage of it.
If you belong to the they-asked-for-help-how-can-I-say-no group, you would know how that affects a person and leaves them with an endless pile of work. As difficult as it may be for you, you NEED to learn to say no; otherwise, you might never be able to achieve work/life equilibrium.
If someone asks for a favor, think long and hard about it before agreeing to do it. Check your schedule and see whether you have the time to take on an assignment or not. And when we say 'time' we don't mean just a few minutes, we mean a good long hour or so- basically a substantial window to complete a task. And if it turns out that you are already swamped, politely refuse.
Learn To Say No Even When Not Needed
Being helpful is good; but not at the cost of your mental/emotional wellbeing. Many times we end up saying yes to an additional job even though our brain cells are in no mood to comply. This means, you might have the time to help someone out but you just might not have the mental or physical capacity to do anything. If that happens with you, have the confidence to say no, and don't feel guilty about it.
You are not a bad person for refusing to do someone a favor because you don't feel up to it. Your wellbeing should be your first priority; if anything demands you to sacrifice that, walk away!
Prioritize and Manage Your Time Well
Probably the oldest advice in the book when it comes to having a work/life balance, but it works! Provided that you do it right.
Every morning make a list of the tasks you have to finish on that day and assess how much time each entry would need. Once you have that sorted, allocate the minutes/hours to your projects as needed. Doing so will give you a rough idea of how much free time you can take out for coffee/tea or a smoke break, without delaying anything.
If you make a habit of doing that, you'll see how much difference it would make.
Leave Work at the Office
As we have already established, smartphones can be a bit disadvantageous when it comes to ex-ing out of work. But you need to learn to do it. No matter what happens, do not look at your phone once you are home. Give all your time to your loved ones and yourself. If that's difficult for you to do, keep separate phones for your office and home, and turn the former off once you are with your family.
Set Aside Some Time For Exercise
Physical activity is absolutely imperative for a healthy life. If you fail to squeeze in a quick workout sesh daily or at least thrice a week, your health will suffer. Besides, exercise is great for the mood - thanks to the oh-so-good endorphins that are released in the body as a result of strenuous activities. Simply put, staying active will keep you energized, alleviate your stress and boost your mood- and all that is going to enhance your performance.
It's true that having a healthy work/life balance can be challenging, but it's not unattainable. If you put in the effort you can surely achieve it, and our tips might just be the guidance you needed!