Work–life balance: the achievement of equality between time spent working and one’s personal life.
Does this sound like you?
- You check your emails before you shower in the morning.
- You’re usually in a rush in the morning, so you skip breakfast often.
- You put off setting up your much-needed dentist appointment because you simply don’t have the time to go to the dentist.
- You work late often and just don’t have the energy to make it to the gym.
- Your lunch often consists of grabbing something from the vending machine and eating at your desk while you continue to work.
- You haven’t spent any time during the last month on your favorite hobbies, even though they relax you and make you happy.
If this sounds like you, you’re not alone. And it’s time to work on your work-life balance! We found a great article on WebMD with 5 Tips for Better Work Life Balance that will help bring a little more balance to your daily routine:
1. Build downtime into your schedule.
Make it a priority to schedule time with your family and friends and for activities that are not work-related. Plan these activities into your schedule early in the week. Once it’s marked in your calendar, don’t look for excuses to cancel. People won’t want to make plans with you if you constantly flake out on them!
2. Drop activities that sap your time or energy at work.
Don’t waste your time on activities or people that add no value. You might be spending more time than you think on gossiping, checking social media sites or making personal calls. Save personal business for home and participating in office gossip is counter-productive.
3. Rethink your errands.
Consider whether you can outsource some of your household chores or errands. There are ways to outsource just about everything nowadays. Think about the following errands:
- Order your groceries online and have them delivered.
- Have your dry cleaning picked up and dropped off.
- Arrange for a cleaning service to come to your home once every week or two.
- Hire a local dog walker to take care of you pet during the week.
- Hire someone to mow your lawn or handle your landscaping.
Even if you’re on a tight budget, you may discover that the time you’ll save will make it worth it.
4. Get moving.
We hear it all the time – you have to include exercise into your routine. Making time for exercise may ultimately help you get more done by boosting your energy level and ability to concentrate. Even if you have a packed schedule, you should take care of yourself by making exercise a priority.
5. Remember that a little relaxation goes a long way.
Don’t get overwhelmed by assuming that you need to make big changes to bring more balance to your life. Start with realistic goals like going to the gym twice a week or spending a few hours with friends and family. Integrate your favorite hobbies into your schedule and remember to plan vacations!
Take time everyday to do something to relax. Whether it’s taking a 15 minute bath or reading 2 chapters of that book you’ve been meaning to finish, a little relaxation goes a long way!
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