Work-life balance is a phrase that we hear a lot these days. In times gone by, if you had a job, it was the most important thing and that was usually the end of the story. Although this may still be true for some people, these days a lot of people want to strike that balance so that their work isn’t all consuming. There is an old adage:
“Nobody says on their deathbed ‘I wish I had spent more time at the office‘”
So, how do we strike that all important work-life balance?
Disconnect
One big reason that work–life balance can be hard to achieve, is if we have an inability to switch off from work. Advances in technology makes our lives easier in a lot of ways but it can also make it easier to stay “plugged in” to our work which can lead to imbalance. It is worth making it a habit to disconnect from work, in whatever way you need to, including via technology.
Boundaries
You could create some empowering rules for yourself and turn off your work phone, laptop etc outside office hours. If you find your work life is creeping into your home life, you could say that certain times are off limits for work (for example, weekends off).
Increase Effectiveness
Is there anything you could do to be more effective? Do you need to delegate more? Do you need to set time aside to get certain tasks done, so that they are not hanging over your head at the end of the workday? Would planning your workday help? Sometimes, the answer isn’t about working more, about about working smarter.
Focus
Give your work your all, when you are there and give yourself fully to your leisure time. If you can focus on the task at hand, whether that be at home or at work, both will be more enjoyable and effective.
Have Things To Look Forward To
One of the reasons many people find their work life overtaking their home life is because their life outside work isn’t fulfilling and it might be the case that being at work is easier than being at home. Enjoying your work or doing long hours isn’t a bad thing in itself but if you are looking at how to get more of a balance it is worth making sure you have enough things to look forward to outside of work. Could you start a new hobby? Maybe you could meet up with your friends more? We all get stuck in a rut of doing the same thing at times but if you feel your work-life balance is out of kilter, it can be a reminder to you to get the most out of life.
Bio: Jen Smith is a Life Coach, Mentor & Writer. She has tried many career paths herself and now helps people achieve their goals and dreams.
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