The increase of quick access to everything through our smartphones has decreased the separation between work and home. You are almost always attached to work, to social media, and to your personal life. There is very little disconnect anymore. When you are at work and get a text from your spouse, it only takes a minute to reply. Likewise, when an email comes in after-hours it’s tempting to read it and respond, even from the dinner table. Your employer is upset if you take care of personal matters during the workday, but your family is upset when you take care of work matters at home. So how can you keep a healthy balance?
Work-life balance is a term used to describe the balance that a working individual needs between time for work and time for other parts of life such as hobbies, family, rest, and other activities. Work-life balance is key for a healthy workplace, and having this balance can prevent burnout and stress. Only you can be in control of achieving this balance. Here are a few things you can do:
Prioritize
There are multiple ways to create this balance, and balance doesn’t always mean equal. Sometimes work or personal life takes precedence, and that’s okay. It’s important to prioritize and understand what must be taken care of now and what can wait. Is the task important? Urgent? Time-sensitive? What if it waits until tomorrow? Although it’s tempting to jump on things right away – you need to step back and think about what should take precedence at that time.
Set boundaries
Your customers or colleagues should not be emailing, calling, or texting you at 11:00 pm asking for a task. If they do, then they should understand that you may not reply until the morning. Likewise, your personal matters should be scheduled for after-hours. If they do need to happen during work-hours, they should understand that you may be preoccupied with work.
Focus on managing your energy not your time
You know when you’re most productive. During those times complete more intense tasks that require more focus. During the less energized period complete lower energy tasks. When you are exhausted – take a break. Everyone needs to rest, whether it is an hour, a day, or a week, make sure you take time for rest. It’s equally important to unplug and recharge your energy.
Work-life balance is not about having the same amount of hours set to work or personal life, it is about making sure you are present in both areas. Make sure to block out time for work and for your personal life and maximize your presence in both. You can’t be successful at either if you don’t achieve a good balance.
