10 best work life balance tips for more wellness at home
Achieving work life balance can be quite hard. More and more people are finding it hard to manage their professional life and personal life. Increased responsibilities are leading to longer working hours. This can lead to less personal time for yourself or with family. This can create problems with your health as well as your work.
To avoid these issues, here are 10 work life balance tips you can follow for a better work life balance.
Work life balance meaning
Work life balance can be hard to define. This is because it differs from person to person. It can be hard for all career paths though. So what exactly is work life balance?
This balance is all about dividing your time between your professional and personal life. It involves prioritizing your work time as well as your personal time.
A perfect work life balance is one where you have harmony in the different areas of your life. This is why it looks different for everyone. Some people work the normal 9–5 every day. This allows them to spend their evenings pursuing personal interests. Others may have a flexible work schedule and are not required to work eight hours a day. This allows them to spend time with family and friends whenever they choose.
What is the importance of work life balance?
Many of us are under the influence of hustle culture. We think we need to sacrifice some areas of life to achieve something better. We believe if we don’t compromise, we will not be rewarded. That is why we work those extra hours and even engage in remote work.
However, this is where we’re wrong. There is no need to compromise or work longer hours to achieve something. It’s all about your mindset. Work life balance helps you to achieve your goals and keeps you happy at the same time.
People who compromise and work excessively often end up dissatisfied and unhappy. This is because the mind tends to focus on what we had to give up rather than what we gained. It is a terrible state of mind that can lead to stress and other health issues.
It is important to achieve work life balance since it allows you to enjoy every moment of your life. You’ll have enough time and energy for work, family, friends and personal activities. This will lead to a greater sense of well-being and a better quality of life.
10 best tips for work life balance
To avoid burnout and improve your work life balance, follow these 10 tips below. Do note that it might take some time to find what works for you. Give yourself time as you figure it out.
Improve your work-life balance in the workplace.
2. Learn to say “no”
Learning how to say no can be one of the hardest things you may ever have to do. However, it is an important part of setting boundaries.
Start by assessing the demands of your day. Learn to articulate and prioritize all the things you have to do. You can use the Eisenhower Matrix to create a daily to-do list. If you’re having a hard time with the Urgent-Important tasks, try this hack.
Once you implement this, you’ll find that saying no to certain things gives you enough free time to do what you want.
2. Take breaks
According to The Energy Project, people go from full focus to physiological fatigue every 90 minutes. Our body regularly tells us to take a break. However, we usually ignore these signals and fill up on either caffeine or sugar to push through. This not only affects your stress levels but can also affect your productivity levels. You must give yourself time to recover to maximize gains.
If you can’t take a long break, you’ll be glad to know that even a 30-second break provides several benefits. It can:
- Allow you to stay focused
- Reduce stress levels
- Keep you feeling engaged
- Make work more enjoyable
3. Use your lunch break
Whether you’re the owner or an employee, use your lunch break. Take this time to enjoy your meal. You can go for a little walk and stretch your legs. You can also try breathing exercises or meditating if you’re feeling overly stressed.
4. Ask for flexibility
Try having conversations with superiors about your needs and theirs. Many employers will understand where you’re coming from. Taking time to talk about what you need can lead to productive solutions. These include more flexibility, a shorter workweek, job sharing, and other creative options. It can also lead to a healthier work environment.
5. Put your health first
Too often we neglect our health to achieve success. This includes our physical health, emotional well-being and mental health. This can have dire consequences. This is why you need to prioritize your health.
Taking care of your health isn’t hard. You can use the concept of habit stacking to help you along. Consider habits like:
- Daily meditation
- Exercise
- Social connection
- Practicing gratitude
- Using your vacation time to rest and relax
Bonus Tip: Practice self-compassion
Let go of the idea of perfectionism. While you may have had some success with this practice, the stress it causes adds up over time. This creates a huge strain on your system which can have dangerous effects.
It is important to understand that everyday life isn’t always easy. We all struggle from time to time. Recognizing this will allow you to create a shift in the way you think. You’ll learn to take a more compassionate growth and learning approach to work and life. This can help you reach your work life balance goals.
Improve your work-life balance at home
6. Set boundaries
Setting clear boundaries is important to your overall well-being. Set your work hours and let your colleagues and customers know what they are. This way they’ll know when you’re available and when you’re not.
One way you can do this is by setting up an autoresponder. It will let anyone trying to contact you via email know that you’re unavailable. You can also include a message to let them know when you’ll be available to respond. This removes the pressure of constantly checking work emails. Contact Scorpion email marketing experts for help doing this.
You should also think about setting up a system for key stakeholders to stay connected. This way you can receive work messages if there’s an emergency on your personal phone. You’ll also feel better knowing that if something important pops up, they can reach you easily.
7. Invest in relationships
In a study, it was found that strong social relationships improve your odds of survival by 50%. Solid connections and social support can improve your health and increase longevity. This is why you should create new relationships and nurture the existing ones during your off hours.
8. Schedule time for family
If you have a family, you’ll need to set aside some time for them. Your family is your primary support network so you need your home life to be on track. These are the people who will always have your back no matter what.
Ensure everyone in the family understands that family time is a priority. Choose a specific day/s of the week and time for family. Communicate this to the family to ensure everyone’s on the same page. If not, make tweaks to the scheduled family time until everyone is happy.
Apart from this, you should also make some time to call family members who live far away.
9. Prioritize quality time
We often spread ourselves too thin and get to the point where nothing feels satisfying. Try to identify what’s most important to you.
Take an honest look at your life. Pay attention to how you spend your personal time. Also, check which activities and relationships are beneficial to you and which aren’t. It is best to prioritize high-value relationships and activities. Don’t forget that the relationship with yourself counts too.
Once you have this all figured out, you can define for yourself where you’ll devote your time.
10. Start small
Developing healthier habits can be difficult to establish. However, all you need to do is start small.
Choose to do something different in your day that is so simple that you’ll have no excuse not to do it. Make it something you can do even if you’re in a rush or when you’re distracted.
Bonus tip: Ask for help
Asking for help can seem like an act of weakness for high-achieving professionals. You must understand that it’s not. For example, getting help with your small business marketing can free up time for you to do other things. You may also look for business consultants who can help you with other areas of your business, team, or even training on balance. Another reason you may not ask for help is that you feel like you’re bothering people.
The truth is we all need help from time to time. This applies to all aspects of your life. For work, you may receive new insights that can help you solve complex issues faster. You may also learn some awesome tips that help you achieve a good work life balance.
Think of it as allowing others to share their knowledge and thoughts with you.
Conclusion
Poor work life balance can cause serious problems in your professional and personal life. Creating a healthy work-life balance can ensure you’re living a more fulfilled life. However, this process takes time and changes as your interests and circumstances change. Always check your priorities regularly and see if they continue to align with how you’re spending your time and energy.
