Work-life balance: 9 tips on how to find it

Many people consider the way of life, when all the time is spent only on work, quite normal, but it is not so. This situation arises due to the inability to prioritize and plan one’s schedule. Such a rhythm of life exposes a person to extreme stress, which can lead to burnout;

The problem of burnout is becoming relevant for more and more people every year. In severe cases, the syndrome may require the help of qualified specialists. If you start acting in advance when the first symptoms of stress appear, you can help yourself. There are various ways to do this, and in this article we will talk about work-life balance.

What is work-life balance

Work-life balance is a balance between work and personal life. The concept appeared in Great Britain and the USA in 70-80 years of the XX century. In such a short time, the term has acquired different formulations and approaches to definition. Not all of them deserve attention, so let’s consider only a few of them;

At interviews, you may hear from the HR manager that the company adheres to the principle of working balance. This usually means a schedule with no overtime and no calls outside working hours.

Some scientists consider the harmony of all human activities as an unattainable ideal, as it is impossible to imagine a situation when personal life and work would not interfere with each other under any conditions. In such a case, balance means a constant striving for an ideal.

In order to follow this balance, one must not only organize all areas of one’s activities to improve one’s morale and psychological well-being, but also be successful in each of them – work, family, friendship, self-development, etc.

One of the most popular reasons why the principle can be broken is excessive workaholism. Science says that excessive workaholism can have a negative impact on productivity. Workaholics complain of decreased efficiency, ill health, and health problems. In the long run, workaholism negatively affects not only your physical and mental health, but also your environment – your family and loved ones. The more energy you expend, the longer it will take to recover afterward. This can cause increased irritability and aggression.

There is no right answer to how much you should work every day. Many entrepreneurs work 60-80 hours a week, feel great and recommend that everyone follow their example. But what works for others won’t necessarily work for you. It’s important to monitor how you feel and react when your physical and mental state deteriorates.

If you feel your work-life balance is off, these rules and guidelines can help remedy the situation;

Define the boundaries of working time

To achieve this balance, you need to set boundaries between work and personal time. Even if you often have to stay late in the office, you still need to set a deadline for putting things off until tomorrow. Many tasks are not that urgent and can wait a few hours. All the more reason to give up an evening with your family or watching a movie.

After the office has been left behind, you need to let go of the work in your head. Once the office hours are over, you should stop thinking about work processes completely. Reply to colleagues, check emails, think about a new project – everything is put off until tomorrow. Leaving the walls of the office, give yourself an attitude to completely switch to your personal life;Once the office has been left behind, you need to let go of the work in your head. Once the office hours are over, you should completely stop thinking about work processes. Reply to colleagues, check emails, think about a new project – everything is put off until tomorrow. Leaving the walls of the office, give yourself an attitude to completely switch to your personal life;

If you are a fan of working 10-12 hours a day, then at least the weekend should be devoted to a full rest. You can determine the ratio of work and rest on your own, but you should not neglect it completely

Plan not only your work, but also your vacations

As you plan your work tasks, you should also allocate your free time. You can start by analyzing your day – count how many hours you spend at work, what you do during your lunch break, and what you do after you get home. Pay special attention to the activities that bring you the most joy and put them on a separate list. This list will become your assistant for planning your personal time and weekends;

When making plans for the weekend, try to cram it with as many things you enjoy doing as possible. There is no need to come up with some complicated hobbies, let it be a simple walk, reading a book. This will help you relax and enjoy yourself;

Take short breaks

Take a few minutes during the day to take a break from work. Have a mug of coffee, a small snack or a walk. During your breaks, switch to something else and don’t think about work;

You could argue that the work is very complex, there are many tasks, you can’t be distracted. Yes, you can. During a 5-10 minute break, nothing will happen globally, but your body will be able to rest and tone up. Every time you start to feel tired and have a headache, put off your work and take a break.

Don’t forget your morning rituals

Does your job require you to work late into the night? Then you should add morning rituals to your schedule to help you gather your thoughts. Take a cold shower, go for a jog, meditate, read the news – it can be any activity that helps bring calmness to your life. Let these activities become a mandatory daily routine. Learn to set aside time for yourself in the morning to relax and mentally prepare for the work day.

At work, do your work

Work-life balance implies not only proper healthy rest, but also effective work, so during working hours you should concentrate on your work tasks. Distracted by social networks, unnecessary conversations with colleagues, you waste precious time. If at work to engage in work tasks, then productivity will be higher, and the need to linger will disappear. Remember: the number of hours spent does not equal success – you need to work efficiently, not to the point of overwork. 

Observe the dress code

The mandatory elements of any job – office clothes, the journey from home to work and back, the workplace  – help our psyche to prepare and get in the mood for work. When you come to the office, you switch from the “home” mode to the “work” mode. 

Remote working has greatly blurred the boundaries of work and personal time, so if you have to work, try to keep these rituals. Set up a workspace at home rather than working from your bedroom, and be sure to change your clothes before you start your workday. Stick to your office schedule and productivity will stay on track.

Don’t take on too many roles

In The New Ideal Worker, the authors examine the concept of work-life balance through the theory of personal roles. According to this theory, a person has several social roles that he tries on in the appropriate environment – at work, in the family, in the circle of friends, in the store, and so on. Each role has its own boundaries, and switching between them is a labor requiring effort. If one transitions between roles too often, one can become fatigued, just as with overwork.

Transitions between social roles should not be the cause of emotional fatigue and decreased productivity  this is the only way to maintain work-life balance. Science says that there should be no more than 8 such roles. 

Delegate responsibilities

As much as you would like to perform all tasks yourself and control all work processes, at some point you will have to start delegating responsibilities. The sooner you learn to trust your colleagues, delegate tasks and responsibility for individual areas to them, the more time you will have for the part of the work that no one else can do.  Skills and experience are your main tools. It should be used effectively and precisely. 

Learn to say “no.”

Learn to say “no” to requests from acquaintances and colleagues, to secondary tasks for which there is not enough time. There are only 24 hours in a day, so you need to plan them in such a way that you remain productive at work and at home, as well as have time to rest and regain your strength. This is only possible when you properly assess your capabilities and prioritize your time. Saying “no” is difficult. We don’t want to offend the person asking, to look bad in the eyes of others, but we need to learn to value our time;

How to build a work-life balance with LeaderTask

LeaderTask can be used together. Create a project, invite employees and manage workflows from LeaderTask, or add your wife or husband to plan family activities and share responsibilities. LeaderTask is your assistant in planning your work and personal time. In app you can keep lists of work tasks, write down things you need to do at home, or make plans for vacations. Create reminders so that you don’t forget to send a report to your manager or buy a gift and wish a relative a happy birthday. To make it easier to control time, in addition to the calendar, there is a daily planner with an hourly schedule, which helps you to correctly distribute tasks during the day. 

LeaderTask can be downloaded on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, or run in your browser. The free version of the app is already enough to start observing the balance of working & life . 

Conclusion

Everyone defines success in their own way, but it is safe to say that success in work does not mean success in life. When you reach the top of your career, you may find yourself depressed, suffering from burnout, health problems, without friends and family. It is important to learn to take time for yourself, family and loved ones. Full rest, family evenings, meetings with friends will help you strengthen your relationships and cope with stress.

Life balance is about success in all aspects, and to achieve success, you need to find balance. It may take a lot of time, but with proper persistence everything will work out and life will become happier.