It’s human nature to want to succeed in everything we do, especially our careers. Unfortunately, spending most of your time and energy on work-related functions leaves little time for a personal or spiritual life. It can also wreak havoc with your health.
Perhaps you know this already but still struggle to achieve or maintain a good work-life balance. This is a common problem. Below we discuss several things you can do if you find yourself feeling stressed because there just aren’t enough hours in the day to accomplish everything you need to do. Ironically, it starts by recognizing that there will never be a perfect solution.
There is No Such Thing as an Ideal Work-Life Balance
Maybe you have felt the frustration of trying to create a schedule that allows for work, family, friends, your health, and community activities to each get the attention they deserve. The problem with this approach is that many days are inconsistent. For example, you may have a sick child who requires all your attention or a big project at work that requires you to put in overtime. That’s okay. The key is to continually evaluate whether you feel balanced or if one area of your life is taking too much time away from the others. Remember to strive for progress and not perfection.
Create Boundaries Around Your Free Time
If you have ever decided to check work email from home only to find yourself pulled into an hour-long discussion, you know the importance of guarding your personal time. One way to prevent yourself from always being on the clock is to turn off all text and email notifications and refuse to answer the phone when you’re not on duty. This allows you to devote all your attention to your family or just enjoy some time to yourself.
Don’t Feel Guilty for Prioritizing Your Own Health
It won’t take long for stress, anxiety, and possibly depression and a short temper to take over when you feel like you’re being pulled in too many directions at the same time. People instinctively know this, yet many have internalized the message that it’s somehow selfish to put their own physical and mental health first. If you always end up last on your own priority list, the stress you feel could end up affecting your body in physical ways and making you ill.
Yoga, meditation, regular exercise, and keeping current with doctor check-ups are just some things you can do to stay as healthy as possible. There will be other times, however, when you simply need a break from it all. Whether you operate your own business or work for someone else, using the vacation time available to you is vital to your overall well-being.
Spend Your Free Time with People Who Bring You Joy
Working a full-time job means you have limited time outside of work to do the things you want to do. That’s why it makes little sense to waste this time in the presence of negative or otherwise toxic people who only add stress to your life. Limiting or eliminating these encounters gives you more time to spend with people you love who contribute positively to your life. Don’t try to force the time you spend together to have special meaning but rather just enjoy the moment with your family or friends. Being physically and emotionally present for others is one of the best gifts we can give them.
Still Feel Like You Haven’t Achieved Work-Life Balance?
Implementing these steps can be challenging when you have struggled to find a good work-life balance for a long time. You may also need more ideas to help make the changes you desire. Juvo Business Advisors invites you to schedule an appointment with a small business consultant to discuss how you can enjoy life to the fullest by living in balance as much as possible.
