We will all be familiar with the ongoing challenge of trying to maintain a healthy balance when it comes to your work life and home life.
Devoting time equally to your work and private life can be a struggle, especially if you have a particularly demanding, hectic job that can sometimes see you put your own life on hold. Similarly, if your home life is full on, and you find yourself getting minimal sleep and not giving your all to your work commitments, then this could be a sign that you need to re-assess your work-life balance.
Prioritize
Learning to prioritize is one way you can actively start to achieve the work-life balance you want.
Think ahead, and plan out your work day, giving priority to tasks that you know will take longer. Devote enough time to these tasks so that you aren’t caught out. You will have to determine what is important in your personal and professional life, and you should be aware that occasionally, you may just have to compromise.
This isn’t a bad thing; everybody is human, so on the occasion when one factor takes priority this doesn’t mean you have failed. Rather you have taken responsibility for the situation and made a judgment call.
Have Time for You
Having time for yourself is absolutely essential to help keep your work-life balance in check.
Whether this means heading to the gym, reading a book, going for a long walk, running a bath with your latest bath salts, or heading online to ESports News to keep up with the latest sports fixtures, there are many ways you can unwind, switch off and have some time for yourself. Set your own rules sometimes and have some time to collect your thoughts. You can’t be there for others, and you won’t be able to give your all to important work tasks if you haven’t had any time to yourself to mentally ‘re-set’ after a taxing day.
Learn To Say No
Learning to say no can apply to situations in both your personal and professional life.
For example, if you have an important presentation or meeting one morning, it may be best to say no to drinks with friends the night before. If your manager asks you to stay late to complete a certain task, but you have a personal or family commitment, say you can’t do it.
Of course, helping out when necessary and doing your bit is never a bad thing, but if you can’t be there because of a previous arrangement, then that is what you stick to. If you let occasions such as this alter your priorities, this is when the balance can slip, and you find yourself devoting all of your physical and mental energy to work. This isn’t sustainable, and you will soon burn out; your personal life is just as important, and will need to take priority occasionally.
The perfect work-life balance can seem unachievable at times. However taking these points on board should help you get started and change your ways, so you can be your best you both personally and professionally.
