“Work – Life Balance” is a popular buzzword these days. Many workers feel stressed and overwhelmed. Often, they feel that their home life suffers as a result. With careful planning, it’s possible to achieve a better balance between home and work. Here are 5 tips to help you along the way.
1. Try Not to be a Perfectionist
At home and at the office, being a perfectionist can lead to a reduced quality of life. Many people are not satisfied unless the job is done perfectly. Whether it’s accepting that your house will never be perfectly clean, or whether you understand that you can’t answer every email the day you receive it, you’ll benefit from a more relaxed attitude.
2. Take Your Vacation Time
Too many of us don’t take the vacation time we are given at work. Not taking time off leads to stress and overwork. Many businesses have become sensitive to this issue and are encouraging their employees to take time off for themselves. When you take vacation time, you will come back as a more productive and happier employee.
When you take vacations, you will want to make sure your home is properly protected. Use a home security service to secure home while traveling and you will have increased peace of mind so you can truly enjoy your time away.
3. Get Away from Technology
Many people find that they are overly dependent on technology. If you carry your smartphone around and answer texts and work emails constantly, you won’t be able to fully relax during your time off. Keep work time for work and family time for family. You will be a better example to your children, and they will appreciate the extra attention.
4. Keep Your Body Healthy
Eating healthy food and exercising will bring you a sense of balance in your life. Try making one small change at a time. Wellness is not an all-or-nothing proposition. Change your diet a little bit at a time, and work in exercise naturally throughout your day. As you gain momentum, start going to the gym or keeping a food journal.
Yoga and meditation are also great for a more balanced mind. Even if you don’t have time to meditate, try a breathing exercise. Deep breathing alone does wonders for the body’s stress responses. Breathe in for six seconds and out for six seconds. This will lower your heart rate and blood pressure and make you feel more relaxed and in control of the situation.
5. Find Areas Where Time is Wasted
It’s a great idea to make a daily journal of all of your activities and the time it takes to do them. Over a few days, you’ll have a good idea of the amount of time you spend on each kind of activity. If you’ve found an area where time is often wasted, work on eliminating or greatly reducing it.
This also works in your home life. If you frequently find yourself scrolling through social media sites on your phone, work on reducing that time so you can do something that is truly relaxing. Play with your children or spend time on a favorite hobby.
Work-life balance is something we can all achieve with a little bit of planning. Don’t expect to make the changes all at once. Work them in gradually for a more relaxed and fully involved life. With some care and attention, you will be able to enhance your enjoyment of life and achieve a better balance between work and your home life.