Balancing work and life is just not easy at all. Many people believe that it is when they work very hard, that is when they will excel in their career. But the reverse is often the case – strained relationships, burnout, and job dissatisfaction.
This article has carefully crafted 6 amazing work-life balance tips for busy professionals to live smart.
Busy Professionals – Why is it of Utmost Importance to have a Work-Life Balance?
Before we go any further, let us know what a healthy work-life balance means. What it simply refers to is maintaining a harmonious relationship between your work and your individual life. It also requires you to know when to work and when not to work. It brings you a fuller personal life this way.
Overworking may make you think you are doing a lot but the truth is you’re working for nothing. You are not achieving a work-life balance.
How Stress and Burnout Impacts Productivity
Approved studies show that employees who are not balanced are more likely to experience burnout. There was a conduction of a certain survey to know how overworking affects employees. The result? 49% of respondents attested that they have increased stress. Some experienced emotional fatigue while others said that it negatively affected their work-life.
Poor work-life balance can greatly cause your health to decline. You will feel a lot of pressure, always wanting to be on edge and you will not even have a life. Let us also not forget the risk of anxiety and depression.
The Good Sides of Maintaining a Healthy Work-Life Balance
Improved productivity and efficiency at work
A balance between your work and life will make you enjoy the work you are doing. This is what we call satisfaction. When employees are satisfied, they are more committed and loyal. It makes them improve in their work environment and do their best. When they are productive and efficient, they can manage a workload well. They can also focus on their personal life outside of work hours.
A reduction in stress and an improved overall well-being
When employees feel overwhelmed by work, stress becomes the order of the day. However, gaining control over these things helps them achieve a better balance. Some choices you can make in the workplace to reduce stress may include declining certain tasks or delegating them to others. Getting the most important things done can also reduce stress.
Maintaining a successful work-life balance can also make you manage your negative emotions in a better way. They can make informed decisions with a clear mindset. They can easily know which work-life factors are detrimental to their well-being and eliminate them. They can also carve out some time to care for themselves.
More time for personal pursuits and relationships
Yes, we know this already. When your plate is full, you begin to make flimsy excuses to avoid doing anything outside work. With a balance, though, you can dedicate quality time to people that matter to you. These things can foster emotional support and improved communication. And of course, this in turn can help when you are stressed.
When you have a work-life balance, you can spend time on things that interest you. These interesting things can help you develop a wide range of skills and expand your knowledge. You will become diverse and well-rounded as an individual.
You are highly satisfied with your Job
Employees who strike a balance are more likely to be satisfied with their work. They tend to be more loyal to their employees and do not change jobs every time. They are also less irritated and frustrated with their work. They are able to provide the best support in the organization’s professional journey. These ones are even viewed more favorably and are more likely to be promoted. So, it is actually a work-life balance that works in an excellent career.
Unravel these 6 Work-Life Balance Tips for Busy Professionals
You are at this point because you want to know how to maintain balance between your work and personal life, right? We have a few yet effective tips to help you get a better work-life.
1. Prioritize and Manage Your Time Effectively
Create a daily schedule and prioritize tasks. You should not give all tasks equal attention. Determine what jobs you should accomplish now and the ones you can do later.
If you have good productivity tools at your disposal, this is the time to make use of them. You can access them online (Google Docs, Trello or Asana). They help to streamline your workflow – that is, delegate, automate or even eliminate tasks. Thus, you put in little effort and you get maximum output.
You are obviously not a superhero so cut down the excesses. Decline tasks that are not important or ones that you know someone else can handle. If it adds to your busy schedule, reject it. Even if that person is your employee, respectfully let him or her know that you have designated time for each task and you would want to leave it that way.
2. Set Clear Boundaries Between Work and Life
Create a clear difference between your work and home life. Set specific work hours and resist the urge to take unfinished jobs home. If you work from home, you may be tempted to stay online for as long as you want but please don’t. Once your work day is over, log out and focus on your personal time.
Avoid thinking about work outside work time. Determine when you will work and not work. Otherwise, you will end up depriving yourself of some good sleep just to pick up calls, answer texts, or reply to emails.
Setting boundaries and work hours
Know exactly when to start and end your day at work. Here’s a sample: you can begin work at 8 am, and take a break at 12 pm for like an hour or two. Then you can work till 5-6 pm. After that, you close up and log out. Doing this will give you a sense of direction and restructure your work and personal life.
Do not check emails or take work calls after hours. You can consider having a separate laptop or phone for work so you can shut it off when you are done with work. If that is not possible, you can use separate browsers or emails for both work and home.
Communicate your boundaries to your colleagues and managers. For instance, you can set in-office hours during which you are available. This will help them respect your workplace limits so that they do not create impractical expectations. Also, you’ll be able to enjoy quality time with family and friends outside of work.
Use the Wheel of Life® tool to achieve a better work-life balance6
The Wheel of Life® is a visual tool used by many professional life coaches. Its purpose is to help in creating a harmonious work-life balance. It has also been called the “life balancing wheel”, “life wheel” or “the coaching wheel”. It was designed to provide effective work-life balance tips for busy professionals and others. It represents various aspects of one’s life ranging from family, social life, health, and even spirituality.
How it works is actually wonderful. This tool will simply ask you to rate your current satisfaction on a scale that is numbered 1 to 10. 10 is usually the highest while 1 is the lowest. After rating and scaling, you can now see the areas in your life you need to pay more attention to. You will also rate the level of satisfaction you aim to have in the future. With this, it will be easier to achieve your goals.
To effectively use this assessment tool, you should do the following:
- Create a wheel. You can find plenty of them online. You can even alter an existing one if you want. Just find a center point and draw a small circle around it. Continue adding circles around the center till you get to 10. Then divide it into 8 sections like pie slices. Label each section according to your desired category and that’s it.
- Assess each category with questions such as: how satisfied do you feel with this category? Give an honest answer before you shade.
- You can indicate the differences between your current state and the one you hope to achieve.
- Make initial observations after shading. Make a self-reflection and set goals that will help you achieve what you want.
Taking Time for You
Taking a day off to care for yourself is equally important when it comes to work-life balance. Yes, you need a life too outside work. So prioritize your health. Find time to exercise and relax. Always opt for short naps during the day. And don’t forget your 7-9 hours’ sleep at night. And of course, we will not forget to eat well. This ensures you are focused and energized.
3. Strike a Balance between Work and Leisure Activities
Participate in any hobby – just do something fun. Maybe you love swimming, dancing, writing or doing something else. You could learn that one thing you have always wanted to learn. You could even practice mindfulness.
Do not belittle the importance of short breaks and vacations. It recharges you physically and mentally. Whether you want to disconnect from work or recharge yourself, this is your go-to package to help you relax. And you know what? It does not have to be expensive. It does not even have to be a far place. You can decide to do a staycation at home – as long as you are completely off.
Spend quality time with family and friends. Your job shouldn’t put them off. Deliberately plan to spend your time with your loved ones. Schedule dinners, holidays, and events with family. It could be as simple as just watching a movie together or having a chat but it is definitely worth doing.
4. Disconnect from Work During Off-Hours
During personal time, do not check work emails or even messages. Do not be afraid to unplug from your devices. This can help you reset your mind and stop being in a constant “doing” mode. It will also make you come back feeling refreshed and ready to tackle new challenges.
Turn off notifications from work-related apps and devices. The constant barrage of notifications that pop up in your device can cause stress. So try to turn off the notification or turn off the device altogether.
Take regular breaks from technology to avoid burnout. Some people have tried reading or listening to music to take time away from work, even if it is just for a minute. This helps them avoid distractions and gives them time to focus on personal activities. It is something you can try too.
5. Delegate and Automate Tasks When Possible
Do a thorough scan – there are probably some tasks that can be delegated, not so? There is no point delaying. Outsource them as soon as possible. This helps to reduce workload and prevent burnout. You can hire a virtual assistant or additional talent to help.
Utilize productivity tools and automation to streamline your workflow. As earlier mentioned, these tools may include Google Docs, Trello, Buffer or even Adobe Creative Cloud. This works wonders to improve your work-life balance. It enhances quality and consistency, making you focus on more strategic projects.
Channel your focus and energy to tasks that are actually most important. As for the rest, you can do away with them or let others handle it. You can allow others to do the job. Delegation or automation helps you gain control over your work schedule and priorities, reduces stress, and ensures that nothing stands in the way of your personal life.
6. Start Taking Care of yourself
Sleep well and exercise enough to stay healthy. Eat healthy, drink lots of water, and get the needed rest. Spend at least 30 minutes getting fresh air.
Practice stress-management techniques like meditation or yoga. You can also try mindfulness meditation. Incorporating gratitude and journaling can also promote your mental well-being.
Once again, you are not a superhero. It’s okay to vent your frustration. Your friends, family, and colleagues can actually be your ally. So ask them to help you. Do not shy away from letting them know what you are going through. It may surprise you that they can come to your rescue – in words and in action.
Conclusion: Achieving a Healthy Work-Life Balance is Crucial yet Possible
We have written this article with your interest in mind. We know that you are a busy bee and you cannot do it all. So, as a professional, integrate these 6 powerful work-life balance tips. Here is what you will get: better control of your time, reduced stress, and a fulfilling personal and professional life. Who doesn’t want that? You shouldn’t delay any longer, just start doing them today.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ’s)
You can discuss your work-life balance with your networking groups, clients, family and friends. A healthy work-life balance is key to finding peace.
It is all right if you do not know where to start from. Begin by dividing tasks and delegating them.
Set boundaries and limit screen time. Do not neglect taking care of yourself as you are the pioneer of your work.
What they do is they disconnect from work and take regular breaks to recharge and avoid burnout. They also set boundaries and designate tasks when necessary.
Set a specific schedule and stick to it. You could use any productivity tool to help in this regard. Do the important task first and do the less important ones later.
It helps you have control over your schedules, reducing stress and time constraints. And if it is remote work, you can easily disconnect and focus on personal things.
When there is no balance, your physical and mental health suffers. But when there is balance, you thrive in all aspects of your life.
