It’s easy to get swept up in work and feel like you always have to be “on” in order to be your best, but in order to truly put the best version of yourself out there, it’s important that you balance out work and personal time. By giving yourself time to relax and recuperate, you’ll be able to put more into work when you’re actually at work, and be more productive during the day.
You might hear the constant noise to answer your emails quickly, work late, and arrive early, but most of the time, all of these things can wait. It can seem like everything is coming at you a mile a minute, but the key to successfully navigating a busy work schedule is creating balance. Work life balance looks different for everyone, but these three ways to create a better work life balance can help you gain some insight and direction on what works best for you.
Set boundaries
“Balance.” Balance technically means even distribution, however a work life balance means something different for everyone. Maybe you do give more of your time to work than to your personal life, and if you’re okay with that, no one should make you feel like it’s not right. The key to creating a work life balance that’s right for you is setting boundaries where you feel comfortable.
I started my career at Nordstrom, and at one point I was commuting an hour each way to and from work, and I worked days, nights, and weekends. Even though I technically had two days off per week, they were almost never back to back, and every day I wasn’t at work I was bombarded with taking care of household chores like laundry and grocery shopping. I felt like I was working all the time and was miserable.
When I started my business I set firm boundaries about not interacting with clients on nights or weekends. To this day, those boundaries are extremely important to me, and I find that they are a huge part in why I’m able to be so productive during the work day. By giving myself time to relax and recharge, I’m ready to get down to work during the day. This doesn’t mean that my style of work is right for you, but it’s something that’s made a huge difference in my productivity and in my sanity.
Do something you love every day
Find something you love and do it every day. This could be as small as walking your dog, cooking a healthy meal or snack, or doing yoga. The point is to treat yourself and do something that makes you happy on a daily basis.
Work can be stressful and overwhelming, so getting out of your head and doing something you truly enjoy is hugely beneficial. This idea is even backed by science! Studies show that happiness leads to an approximate 12% spike in productivity.
Create a realistic task list each day
I live by my to-do lists because they help me stay organized, maintain accountability for what needs to get done, and they also create an attainable game plan for the day.
Research suggests that you become 42% more likely to achieve your goals by writing them down. This is because writing goals and tasks down holds you accountable, and also creates a physical reminder of what you’re working towards. Physically writing down your daily tasks forces both sides of your brain to work together, stimulating a more powerful response and a greater ambition to achieve those goals and get the work completed.
Make a list of tasks you need to accomplish, and go down the list to ensure that you get everything you want done. This will help you see what you’ve accomplished each day and what else you need to do. Once you’ve gotten through your daily list, you can leave the office assured that you’ve done your part and give yourself the okay to relax and enjoy your evening or weekend without work.
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When it comes to creating a work life balance, the idea is to give yourself time to recharge away from work so that when you are working, you can be as productive as possible. Hopefully these three tips for creating a better work life balance give you some inspiration for how to better manage your workload and give yourself the mental break that you need!