Trying to maintain a work-life balance has always been a major stress factor in the workforce. Even when work was strictly considered a 9-5 commitment, removing yourself from workplace responsibilities has always been a challenging task. Today, it is even more difficult due to the rise of mobile technology. We now live in a world where people are working in roles that they consider to be “always on” jobs. Whether they are at the office, or at home, they constantly find themselves doing something work-related (answering a call, replying to an email, etc.). It is important, however, that we strive to create that work-life balance so that we can live healthier, happier, and more productive lives. Take a look at these tips to help you maintain a work-life balance.
Respect Your Boundaries
You cannot achieve this balance if you do not respect your own boundaries. In addition, if you do not respect your boundaries, you cannot expect anyone else to either. You must work on developing a lifestyle of predictability, at least as it pertains to work. So, train yourself to know that once 5pm hits, you are done working for the day. That means no more calls, no more emails, and no more data tracking, etc. In the beginning, this will be tough to grow into because you will always feel like there is something more to do. However, this is where your boundaries come in. You have to show enough respect to yourself and your boundaries so that others can follow suit.
Pace Yourself
Many people who are hard-working and passionate about what they are doing tend to dive into many different projects at once. But, if you want to enjoy a healthy and productive life, you need to understand the value of pacing yourself. Yes, there will be moments when you need to amp things up and go full throttle, but there will also be times when you need to settle down and take things easy. Give your mind and body that needed rest, so that you can come back fully charged and ready to throttle back up again. Self-awareness will be crucial in these situations. You need to understand how much you can handle at any given moment and when you need to slow things down and take a break.
Enjoy A Social Life
So many people get caught up in their work and they forget to spend time with their friends and family. You should not limit your social life because of work as it will only lead to unhealthy relationships with the people you love. Make sure that you are setting aside time every evening to spend time with your family. If you have time on the weekends, spend time with close friends and catch up on things. Do not allow your work life to consume your social life because you will find that it may cause you to burn out very quickly, and you will lose all motivation to do anything.