The world is moving at an extremely fast pace. Due to the continuous pressure to excel in the professional domain, climb up the success ladder, and multiply profits, personal lives tend to face setbacks. It is creating an intense sense of dissatisfaction. The lack of indulgence in rest, recreation, and quality time with family and friends due to an unrestrained work culture disrupts the equilibrium on which life must be balanced.
How does one then strike the right balance between work and life?
Given that the competition is extremely high, one certainly does not want to fall behind. Moreover, advanced technology is facilitating interconnectedness, which makes it difficult to separate both personal and professional lives. Demarcating boundaries has become a daunting task. The thin line between work-life runs the risk of erosion at all times, whether you work from the office, run your own business, or work from home. It can lead to intense burnout, a psychological response to chronic work-related stress.
Why is work-life balance important?
The human brain needs adequate distancing and rest from work-related engagement. Involving yourself in your personal life improves your mood, boosts concentration, and cope with stress. Work-life balance is hence necessary to maintain both physical, emotional, and mental well-being.
How can you achieve work-life balance?
Here are a few proven tips that will help you make the right move toward establishing a work-life balance.
Demarcate Boundaries
In the digital age, defining the boundary between personal and professional lives has become the need of the time. Digital connectivity is forging a less rigid perspective on what constitutes work time. Hence, the key move is to identify your work culture and accordingly schedule work time to separate it from your personal lives. One must try to adhere to these specific boundaries, limiting the encroachment of one upon the other.
Learn to Deny
You need to learn to say no to work that is an added burden, consuming your time and energy. Being available 24/7 can also take a toll on you. If it’s beyond your working hours, try to convey to those concerned that it is your off time.
Digital Detox
The need to maintain a digital detox is often ignored. Unplug yourself from devices to establish a tech-life balance. Introduce digital detox into your work life to reduce stress. Incorporate self-discipline into your digital work diet to reclaim control over your time and, ultimately, your life.
Engage in Physical Activities
Often, we lose ourselves into the working temperament that leads to mental exhaustion. However, since we do not practice work-life balance, it leads to a lack of time, energy, and motivation to engage in physical activities. Being physically active is a necessity that most of us overlook due to over-engagement in our work culture. But, it is crucial to acknowledge that exercising is a great stress reliever. It releases feel-good endorphins that will boost work-life balance.
Work Smart
The age-old adage “work smarter, not harder” will hold true till posterity. Often, we engross ourselves so much in the work that it becomes difficult to identify the loopholes. Focus on productivity instead of engaging in long working hours. Distance yourself at times and approach it from a new perspective for better results. Take adequate breaks, be mindful of how you are investing your energy, and work smarter.
Each of us faces different sets of problems when it comes to maintaining a work-life balance. Try to evaluate what is destabilizing the equilibrium in your case, and in what aspects you are lagging. However, a few universal tips to engage in physical activities, practice mindfulness, and be aware that you need to tend to your family and friends beyond your work will help you locate the balance. It is not a one-time journey but a continuous process that needs conscious incorporation into daily life.
