Having a healthy work-life balance is something many people struggle with. Many employees find themselves working long over work designated work hours to finish tasks or respond to emails. Although our career is important, we should be taking necessary steps to make sure there is a sense of harmony between our work-life balance. There are many benefits to having healthy work-life balance such as higher productivity, less stress, and the ability to build stronger relationships with your family and friends. Here are 5 ways to improve your work-life balance.
1. Manage Your Time
It is useful to utilize your time-management skills and create a schedule four yourself of what you need to work on for each day. Having a plan of the things you need to work on will better help you have clarity and use your time more efficiently. Be reasonable with the amount of work you can actually get done in your shift. It is ideal to not have too many tasks, so you don’t overwhelm yourself, but also have enough tasks so you are maximizing productivity. At the end of your shift, make a list of the tasks you need to continue working on. When you clock back in the next day, you will immediately have a plan for what you need to accomplish for that day.
2. Learn to Say “No”
Setting boundaries is a more difficult skill to learn and put into action than we like to admit. However, it is important to be able to set clear boundaries on the number of tasks we are working on. If you have a higher priority task that you are already working on, it is counter-productive to say “yes” to taking on more work. Additionally, it is also important to set boundaries for ourselves regarding our work hours. When we clock out, we should avoid answering work calls or emails. Once we have these boundaries set, our colleagues will start to respect your workplace limits.
3. Detach From Work
When you work hours are over, it is in your best interest to detach from work. When you come home from work, immediately change our of work outfit to remind yourself that you are changing your headspace to your new environment. If you work from home, dress differently for work, then change when you are done working. Use a specific area in your house as a dedicated workspace. When you are finished working for the day, leave that workspace and begin working on other activities.
4. Have A Healthy Lifestyle
It is important to make our mental, physical and emotional health one of the biggest priorities in our lives. When we tend to overwork ourselves, it can cause a buildup of stress and eventually lead to burnout. Try incorporating healthy activities into your routine to separate ourselves away from work. Some of the activities you can incorporate are going for walks, exercising, meditation. These are not only ways to improve our physical health but are great ways to relieve stress. Employees that are in the best mental state possible will be happier and more productive when at work.
5. Make Time For Activities You Enjoy
Lastly, you should be doing activities you enjoy after work. When you are doing things you enjoy the most you will become more present and worry less about work. Take time to work on your hobbies, self-care or even spending time with family and friends. Allow yourself to enjoy this downtime as a moment to reenergize yourself so you don’t fall victim to burnout.
By incorporating these 5 tips, you will improve your work-life balance and significantly reduce the amount of stress caused by work. Taking care of your mental health is important to living your best life possible. If you want to learn more ways you can build the best life for yourself, learn more about my 30x Life Program.