How to Achieve a Healthy Work-Life Balance

Here is some important information that you should consider to find balance in your life, as health and career experts recommend:

 

Unplug

Even though technology has undeniably helped improve our lives, it has also made us constantly accessible. Work is ongoing and never seems to stop. A psychology professor teaching at the Harvard Medical School, Robert Brooks, states that phones disrupt and make it difficult for you to relax when you are meant to.

Make sure to work on the quality of time you spend with your loved ones. Put your phone aside and be present during family gatherings or other important events. You will improve your resilience by not constantly checking your phone for work updates.

When you are resilient, you feel more in control; if you are reactive, you are highly prone to stress and feel less in control.

 

Do Not Strive for Perfection

When you have been raised to be an overachiever, you will more likely be a perfectionist. It may be easier to try and achieve perfection during childhood, but it can be more difficult as an adult.

As you climb the career ladder and grow your family, your responsibility increases tenfold. As a result, succumbing to your perfectionist tendencies gets harder, making you feel frustrated, resulting in destructive tendencies.

If you do not want to burn out, you will have to learn not to strive for perfection but strive for excellence instead.

 

Avoid Wasting Time on Unimportant Things

It is important to identify what is important to you in life. Your list may be different from other people's, but ensure that it is an honest reflection of your priorities and not those of others. The next step would be to create firm boundaries to find the time you can devote to those activities and high-priority people.

After that, you will have an easier time determining what can be excluded from your schedule. If you waste time surfing the internet or emails, establish ground rules to help you keep focused. That could mean that you should reply to emails in batches within limited periods every day and turn off email notifications.

If you find yourself mindlessly surfing random blogs or social media sites when you could be getting valuable work done, you can use different productivity software such as RescueTime, LeechBlock, or Freedom.

If you realize that unconstructive people are taking up your time, then you should practice diplomacy to limit their interactions. For example, if you have a chatterbox in the office that corners you every morning, then try politely excusing yourself when they try talking to you.

If you plan to get drinks with friends but have an important meeting the next day, then decline the invitation and sleep instead. Focus on activities and people that reward you most.

People avoid establishing such boundaries because they do not want to come off as selfish. Keep in mind that this is not being selfish. You can only perform as a spouse, worker, parent, or friend if you work on yourself to be the best version of yourself.

Listening to lecturers and self-help gurus talk about how you can grow, achieve more and practice positive thinking can also make quite a difference.

 

Changing Your Life’s Structure

It often happens that we get stuck in our ways and do not make an effort to change our habits. Look at your life from a bigger perspective, and try to identify and flesh out habits and routines that no longer serve you.

Delegating is a word you should include in your dictionary, do not try to do it all; focus on those activities most valuable to you and the ones you are specialized in. Outsource or delegate those tasks that are not.

A great way to do this is by asking those closest to you in different spheres of life how you can let go of some of the tasks you have taken on and if they can grow from them instead.

Another way to restructure your life in a simple yet powerful way is that instead of having a list of ten tasks you need to accomplish, take the time to select five tasks related to work that are most important and five from home.

As the quote goes: change begets change. You cannot expect your life to be magically balanced if you do not make an effort and take the time to make substantial changes.

 

Meditation and Exercise

No matter how busy we are, we end up making time for our needs, such as eating, using the bathroom, and sleeping. However, exercise seems to be the first thing we exclude from our calendars when we have work to do.

Attributing the same level of importance on exercising and mediation as you would to work and family help you make this a priority.

Remember: exercise has scientifically been proven to effectively reduce stress because it helps endorphins flow through your body, making you feel good. It can also create a meditative state and improve your mood, as research by Mayo Clinic shows.

Many experts recommend dedicating some time weekly to self-care, no matter the form. It could be meditation, yoga, or exercise. If you do not have the time to do so, perform simple breathing exercises on your way to work or do five-minute meditation sessions every night and morning.

Also, focus on replacing harmful stress-reducing activities such as drinking with healthier ways to do so. Balance does not only refer to successfully achieving and completing tasks. It also includes self-care to help your mind, soul, and body feel refreshed.

Playing sports is also a fun way to practice physical wellness. If you can take out the time, it would be great to go to the gym or play sports like running, surfing and volleyball.

 

Start Small

Do not feel like you need to accomplish all this right now.

You may feel suddenly inspired and motivated as we often are around New Years', and then let go of the changes you have made within two weeks. But learn to take it slow.

As they say, slow and steady wins the race, so take it slow. Incorporate small changes, little by little. For example, instead of promising to have dinner at home every night when that is not the norm for you, start by choosing one day a week to do so. Then, gradually increase the number.

 

In Conclusion

Remember that it is attainable no matter how impossible it feels to get the balance you are looking for. Following these tips will be sure to prove that.

Work-life balance is not only personally fulfilling but also professionally! The more balanced you feel, the more you contribute and the less likely you are to burn out.

Many organizations have started programs to help people balance work and other aspects of life. Trafficpoint is one of them.

We have built quite a reputation for ensuring that our staff has the tools and resources to do their best at work and outside of it. This commitment to employee well-being is demonstrated in our effort to promote sports and physical activity in the workplace. With a special emphasis on social interaction, employees get regular opportunities to indulge in surfing, volleyball, running, yoga, and a well-outfitted gym.

It is important to understand that positivity is an intrinsic trait that can be learned. That’s why, like us, it might be a good idea to call in coaches and trainers to talk about positive thinking. This is key to helping your people grow and achieve more in life and at work.

All in all, know that work-life balance is more than a buzzword; it is a work culture that starts with creating a stress-free environment.

Adopt some of these patterns and make substantial changes to have a well-balanced lifestyle that you can truly enjoy and keep up with easily. But remember not to take on too much too soon and introduce changes slowly but surely.

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