5 Small Things to Help You Achieve A Successful Work Life Balance
Achieving the perfect work-life balance can be tricky. Here is how you can reclaim your life when it seems like you never leave the office.Hurray, you’ve moved past the stress of finding a job. Now you’re gainfully employed it’s important to enjoy your job and have a life outside of work.
13% of workers in the UK work long hours. Research shows that working longer hours can result in increased stress which has severe health implications. So even if you need to stay late a few days a week rest assured as you can still enjoy your downtime to the max.
1. Turn Your Long Hours into Fun Hours
Some jobs or projects just happen to require long (and sometimes lonely) hours. Without leaving, there are ways to break up the day and make it far more enjoyable.
Try the Pomodoro Technique which allows you to have 5-minute breaks for every 20 minutes of work. Not only does it boost productivity, but you also get rewarded with lots of breaks.
2. Turn off the Sync on Your Work Emails
You may have clocked out, but your email alerts are there as a constant reminder that there is work to do.
Stop syncing your email or turn on the ‘Do Not Disturb‘ feature. By establishing clear boundaries, your colleagues will stop contacting you after hours when they realise you don’t respond.
3. Make Plans
Never underestimate the power of planning and scheduling. It’s easy to get wrapped up in work and forget to make plans with friends and family. If you have a significant other, pick a day and make that date night. If you have friends, you never get to see then make plans with a different friend every week. When you make plans, you automatically have something to look forward to after work.
4. Sleep!
Getting 7-9 hours of sleep is important. Never let work impact your sleep as research has shown that operating on less sleep can have an adverse impact on how effective you are at work. Try and go to bed at a set time each day to ensure you get enough sleep. Nobody wants to deal with a grouch who’s sleep deprived at work.
5. Cut Yourself Some Slack
Leave work at work. It doesn’t matter if there’s a missing comma in that email, or that you forgot to send the meeting notes to your boss. Just forget about it and send them when you get in first thing.
Try not to lose perspective and if there’s something that’s urgent then have a set time each day to deal with emergencies otherwise it can wait.
When it’s all said and done, remember that having a great work-life balance is important. A happy life outside work can lead to increased happiness during work. Once you set clear boundaries and stick to them, you’ll be well on your way.
