Do you often find yourself complaining about not having a work-life balance? Some of you may even believe that it is a myth like the Loch Ness monster. But it is not.
It is because you are doing it wrong. Taking phone calls or replying to emails past your work hours or being over-ambitious and filling up your plate too much will obviously not leave any time to go out on dates or spend time with your family? It may be difficult to achieve work life balance, but it is not impossible for sure.
If you too struggle to balance your personal and professional lives, then maybe you should try implementing these easy steps in your life and put an end to those complaints for good.
1. Get organized
You may have read this is in numerous self-help books or heard a million times in the podcasts but getting organized is actually the key to achieving work-life balance. Make a task sheet of all the things you want to get accomplished in the day. Pick tasks that are more difficult to do in the morning rather than leaving them for later. This will help you achieve more and make time for your personal life too.
Think long term. Organize your ‘task sheet’ for a week, month, or even year and add your personal goals too like that family vacation to Hawaii. This will help you stay on track and get more things done. You will not find yourself complaining about not having a work-life balance then.
2. Say ‘No’
You cannot simply achieve a good work life balance if you accept every assignment your manager steers your way or if your co-worker needs your assistance. However, this does not mean you stop helping your colleagues altogether or be rude to your boss every time he presents you with an opportunity. All you need is to draw a line, somewhere. When your boss asks you to do something, politely decline by offering him a valid reason.
3. Make boundaries
The more you make yourself available, the more you struggle in your personal life. Even if you are not physically accessible, remotely working and technology make you available all the time. But you have to be clear about your boundaries to achieve a healthy work life balance. Do not reply to emails past 9 or take work calls on your Bali vacation. It is you who will have to be obstinate about setting boundaries and communicate this to your employer.
4. Drop unproductive habits
One of the reasons you are struggling to achieve work life balance could be your unproductive habits, not your work. You cannot spend 3 hours scrolling on Facebook or Instagram and then complain about not having a life. If having a work life balance is so important to you, then maybe you should take frequent coffee breaks or gossip lesser with your co-workers. There could be an inventory of activities that might be decreasing your productivity. Figure them out and drop them.
5. Take a break
All work and no breaks only hamper your productivity. Plus it also jams the mental machine aka brain. The reason you are feeling overloaded with work is that you are not taking breaks. Even science has proven that taking frequent breaks can increase productivity. Though make your time away from desk count. Go out on a walk to clear your mind or take a vacation maybe.
6. Love your job
If you can’t love your job, you can never be happy. If you are not happy, you will always find yourself cribbing about not having a work-life balance. If your job is just a means to meet the ends, then find a hobby or passion alongside your work. Or maybe, have a job that aligns your interest with the nature of work so that you feel more motivated.
Maintaining a work-life balance is important for your physical and mental wellbeing. After all, life is about having those joyous memories. No one has ever boasted about working too much on their deathbed.
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