10 Tips on How to Improve Work-Life Balance
We all live in an environment obsessed with working and achieving ambitious goals. It is actually not bad; however, the risk of having some problems with mental wellness becomes higher.
Setting a healthy work-life balance is a difficult challenge that starts to be even more daunting during times of economic stagnation and uncertainty related to COVID-19 and other extraordinary factors.
Many employees today are worried about their jobs and intent on proving they are an indispensable part of the team. Innovative technologies and the coupling of increased workloads make workers feel overwhelmed and depleted. That is why more and more companies foster employee health and well-being while enhancing the company’s performance and productivity.
Nowadays work-life balance ranks as one of the most important workplace attributes. It is critical, however, it worth improving not only physical, emotional, and mental well-being, but also being important for our career.
The balance between career and personal life always means different things to different people because all of them have different life commitments, you may read about it in most popular posts and books about work-life balance.
This balance is a very personal thing. Only you can decide the lifestyle that suits you best. However, there are some common recommendations you may follow to optimize your work-life balance painlessly, even if you feel bored at work.
10 Ways to Create a Better Work-Life Balance
1. Forget about the illusion of an ideal work-life balance
Often people while hearing the phrase “work-life balance” imagine having an extremely productive working day, and leaving early to spend the rest of the day having fun with family and friends or enjoying any productive hobby. Surely, it may seem ideal, but it is not always possible.
Do not be addicted to perfect schedules, instead strive for realistic ones. Take some days to focus more on work, and fill other days with more time and energy to pursue your hobbies or spend time with someone your love. This balance is achieved over time, not each day.
2. Find the best job ever
When people hate what they do, they will not be happy. You must not love every aspect of your job, but it is rather important to not be dread getting out of bed every morning. Do not afraid to experiment and attend many interviews. Your key goal is to find the best place where you will feel good.
3. Set clear goals
The classic approach to setting SMART goals is what we all need. Try to set achievable goals that you are passionate about and think about what tasks are most important for achieving a healthy work-life balance and then prioritize them. Analyze your to-do lists and cut out tasks that have no value.
Avoid checking emails and a smartphone every few minutes, as those are major time-wasting tasks that derail your attention and productivity.
4. Track time
When you thoroughly analyze your current situation, you make a step in achieving a balanced life. Keep a time log of all stuff you do for one week, including personal and work-related activities.
This data will help you to understand how you are using and where you are losing your time. There also many handy time management apps you may use to succeed.
5. Set work hours boundaries
Time boundaries for yourself and your team members will help to avoid burnout. Leaving your office workspace, do not think about answering business emails or upcoming daily stand-ups. Use a separate phone or a laptop for work, so you can shut it off when you clock out.
Do not forget to notify the team members about the boundaries beyond which you cannot be accessible, because you are engaged in your private activities.
6. Consider health the highest priority
In any case, your main concern should be related to your overall physical and emotional health.
If you struggle with depression or anxiety and think professional therapy would benefit you, fit such sessions into your schedule or find and try some healthy habits to practice at home. Avoid overworking yourself as it prevents you from getting better. Prioritizing your health is not anything radical, it is as simple as daily meditation or exercise.
7. Practice unplugging
When we cut ties with the outside, we have a chance to relieve stress levels at work get space for generating other thoughts and ideas. Such unplugging is whatever, for example, practicing meditation on your daily commute, instead of checking work emails.
8. Take a vacation
The real unplugging is about taking a vacation and shutting work completely off for a time. No matter if you get a one-day off or a two-week voyage, it’s crucial to take time off to mentally and physically and recharge.
People tend to think that taking time off will disrupt their workflows, and they will meet an endless backlog when return. It worth struggling with this fear and getting a much-needed break.
9. Find time for your relatives
Even the most important and complex job must not be your entire life.
Remember that you were an individual before taking this position. Prioritize your business activities and private stuff, using simple prioritization matrices or even more complex frameworks for setting priorities. Plan time and create a calendar for important family dates.
Limiting the time you spend on social networks and other online platforms is also a good way to improve your work-life balance. Let’s be honest, it is becoming more common for people to spend endless amounts of time on social networks, be it for work or entertainment purposes.
Many scientists admit that digital detoxing is rather important in a society where social media platforms can be very impactful on people’s mindsets.
Conclusion
The process of achieving an ideal work-life balance is like becoming a professional sportsman – you will need continued efforts to get in shape and to stay that way. However, if you commit yourself to this quest, you will reap enormous health work-life benefits.
