11/17/2016
Michelle Graven
From trying to do your best at your job, to going to your kid’s baseball game to finally fixing the squeaky door, it’s a challenge to balance your time. The line between work-life and personal-life is often blurred making it difficult to find the right balance between your career and your family.
Read the tips below to learn how you can get started on the path to living a happy and fulfilling life!
Find the right company for you
There are companies that do not understand or prioritize their employees’ work-life balance. It can be hard to find an employer who shares the same goals of having both a challenging career and a thriving personal life. The good news is there are companies that are perfect for reaching the right balance for you. From consumer product makers to tech companies, there are companies that give you the necessary personal and relaxation time to thrive at your job and at home. Salesforce, JetBlue Airways and American Express are some examples of large companies that understand and respect their employees’ personal life. They aim to help their employees enjoy their job while being able to spend time with family.
Unplug and Be Present
Don’t text while you’re at your son’s baseball game. Don’t check your work email while you are having dinner or hanging out with your friends. If you are constantly on your phone, it’s hard for the work day to actually end. We all know there are times that there is a huge project due at work or a major crisis happens, but if you are checking your phone or email too often, your mind is never leaving work. That means you’re not shifting your focus onto you or your family. Challenge yourself to not look at your phone until after dinner. It will help your relax and be present.
Take Vacation Days
Come on, you deserve some time off. The average U.S. employee only takes half of his or her eligible vacation. Taking a vacation allows you to not only spend valuable time with friends and family, it also gives you time for peace and quiet. You need to take time to reboot and refresh.
Schedule your time
Use a calendar to manage both professional and personal priorities. Not only does a calendar help you remember birthdays and those important deadlines, it helps you stay accountable and follow through. It also helps you visually organize your time and prioritize. You can physically see your free time and be able to find the time to work on yourself.
Besides a physical calendar, have a mental one. Follow an established morning and bedtime routine to make sure days start and end on the right note. Nighttime rituals especially serve as a signal to your body that it’s time to wind down for sleep.
Exercise
You no longer have the metabolism of a sixteen year old, so you can’t consume copious amounts of greasy foods without some serious consequences. Doing physical activity even as small as walking or biking to work, will help you stay in shape and also works as a great stress reliever.
Quiet Time
Taking some quiet time, such as having lunch away from your desk or going on a walk, will let you channel negative feelings in a productive way. It can be something as simple as reading a book, meditating or even drawing a picture. Take some deep breaths and calm yourself to be ready to get back out there.
Set Boundaries
Setting boundaries will help you stay focused on both work and life. Look at your day’s priorities and your previous commitments and see what limits you will have that day. Establish your boundaries with others, such as when to talk about work with your significant other or how often you can meet with co-workers after work. If you can’t live up to your set boundaries, then you need to redefine them so you can.
Instead of trying to do it all, focus on activities you specialize in and value. A work-life balance doesn’t have to be a myth. There are many ways to find the right balance for you. What are some struggles you have found when trying to do it all?
Written By: Michelle Graven