If you work in the same physical space where you eat, sleep, and watch Netflix, finding the right work-life balance can be challenging. Borders are too often blurred and we are divided between the two.
Whether you are interested in marketing, web design, or costume design, it's not uncommon for you to work late or reply to emails at unnecessary times.
The question is: how can we maintain a healthy balance between our professional and personal lives? How can we develop our careers and fight fully for ourselves, our families, and our loved ones?
The path to a good work-life balance can be long and detoured. However, the following tips for work-life balance can help you achieve your goals.
What is the balance of work-life and why is it important?
Work-life balance refers to the way people prioritize their time and effort between professional and personal responsibilities.
No need to distribute your time evenly, but to create a lifestyle where you are not overdoing it. A good work-life balance gives you enough time and energy to focus on your personal life and ensure that you see friends, enjoy your time alone, do things you like, and so on.
There are many factors that can affect the balance between your life and your professional life. For example, your boss's requirements, family obligations and responsibilities both at work and at home. Some of them are easier to control, while others may be the result of different living conditions that may not depend on you.
Finding a balance between a healthy and professional life is very important for your general well-being. This can reduce stress and the risk of creative burns or blockages. In addition, employees who are happy with work-life balance tend to be happier at work, which leads to increased results, productivity, and commitment. As a manager, promoting a healthy work-life balance on your team can be a great way to help employees work remotely.
Tips for balancing work and life
Set a specific opening time
Make plans after work
Set goals that can be achieved
Take proper rest
Create a specific work area
Be nice to yourself
Dress for work
Accept imperfections
01. Set specific hours
Excessive work is very common, especially in some industries and professions. But even in these cases, when you get home it usually means the end of the workday.
As a remote worker working from home, you do not have the same opportunity to move from one place to another, who can physically quit your job. Even if you have moved from a table to a sofa or kitchen, your computer may only be a few steps away.
If you work from home, one of the best tips for time management is to set specific hours - and make sure your coworkers and managers know too. Let your colleagues know or mark your class in the shared calendar application. This means you receive fewer emails and suggestions for meetings outside business hours.
Decide when you want to start and end every day. Factors in lunch breaks and other personal assignments, e.g. B. Take a walk with your dog or cook for your family. This leads to a more realistic schedule that will help you successfully keep your work hours running.
02. Make plans after work
Even with a tight work schedule, it's too easy to get carried away with your work and additional work hours. Knowing when to release and continue tomorrow isn't always easy.
Making plans for the end of the workday can be a good solution. If there are no tasks to do today, completing a schedule can help you switch from work mode to mode.
Regardless of whether you want to meet friends, attend yoga classes, or try new back magic, concentrating on personal time can also be important to your general well-being and contribute to a positive work-life balance.
03. Set goals that can be achieved
Pay attention to your day and week. Ask yourself what priorities do you set: do you have a specific deadline? What is obligatory and good for you? Once you have an idea of what to do this week, you can set goals and plan your days.
Try to make your goals as realistic as possible to increase your chances of holding on to them. There are many time management applications that can help with this. For your part, you are more likely to meet deadlines and increase productivity by giving yourself time to focus on other aspects of your life.
Even though you don't have to write down specific goals for your personal life, it's always a good idea to take a moment to think about what you want to achieve. Is there something you want to do today or this week? Maybe you want to hang out with a friend, do an arts and crafts project, read a book, or do anything else you like.
04. Rest properly
If you work from home, you might not have a colleague to rest. However, this does not mean that you should not rest properly.
For work-life balance, it's important to have time to leave your desk. Letting go of your responsibilities can also be a great way to deal with stress at work. It gives you the breath you need to revitalize your tasks and see them with a fresh mind. You can also find that rest helps you be more productive.
If possible, set a specific time for your lunch break and try to disconnect during this time. You can also take a break every hour or so to walk, stretch, or even use time for personal matters if you find this useful.
05. Create a specific work area
As freelancers know, working from home is not always as glamorous as it seems. You might not sit on the bed with a glass of Matcha Latte in your hand, surrounded by boho-chic decorations. If you want to successfully balance work and life, working from your bed may not be the best idea.
Instead, find a suitable place in your home where you can set up an office. If you have a place at home specifically for work, you can distinguish between work and leisure. This is important when working at home.
It is usually recommended that you not work in a place that is strongly associated with relaxation, e.g. B. on your couch or in your bedroom. Even though you may not have a special empty space, do your best to make a workspace that is comfortable for you.
When working from your kitchen table or sharing a table with others, try to keep the room clean and orderly to avoid distractions. Your work environment should get you in the right mood. So make sure you have everything you need, from pens and notebooks to headphones to listen to music, be productive, or attend online events.
06. Be nice to yourself
With so many tasks, being kind to yourself can sometimes be the last thing on your to-do list. However, keep in mind that prioritizing your own well-being is important in many ways. If you feel happier and happier, you might be a better employee, friend, spouse, parent, etc.
Besides not always knowing how to balance work and life, there are some practical things you can do to try and be nice to yourself. First, take the time to relax after work. This is very important because you do not have time to travel from work to home. Don't be afraid to pull the plug. Remove your smartphone, release it from the outside world, and let it relax and compress.
Finally, take time for yourself and your loved ones. At least try until you have endless time to find a small slot where you can stay in touch and connect with something you like.
07. Dress for work
You can't leave home, but that doesn't mean you have to be in pajamas all day. Switching from home clothes to work clothes can also help bring about this mental change by putting yourself in the right state of mind to work - or relax.
You don't have to wear a three-piece suit or even wear your shoes, but you may find that physical preparation for the next day also mentally prepares you. Treat your home office as a real work environment.
Some people find it helpful to separate work and home clothes. After the end of your workday, try to change clearly marking the end of your work and the beginning of your personal time.
08. Accept imperfections
Although there are plenty of work-life balance tips that will help you achieve your life goals, in reality, you can't always hope your two worlds don't join. You can do anything, but in the end, there are constant factors that can affect the balance between your life and your life, such as B. Your type of work, hours of work, family situations and others.
Sometimes you have to accept that the separation between work and life is not always perfect. Your expectations will not always be true to reality. You may have to answer work calls while spending time with your children, or answer important emails while sitting with your partner for the long-awaited night.
Like the tips above, be realistic. Ask yourself where you can let go a little without endangering your work or affecting your relationship. For example, can you set limits with managers who might overwork or adjust the way homework is done at home?
Regardless of what arrangements you make with the people around you, make sure that you care about your own needs, and be realistic about yourself. A perfect work-life balance might not be 100 percent achievable, and the constant search for it can be tiring. So allow yourself to be imperfect every time.