What Are We After In Life? How To Achieve Work-Life Balance

Finding work-life balance in today’s fast-paced world is no simple task. Too much or too little focus on job directly imbalances your work and personal life, and so stress tags along with its disturbing effects. Experts always emphasize on work-life balance for leading a healthy life.

The first step is to identify and accept the modern trends in the pace of work.

The second one is to assess your work nature and your commitment towards it, because only then you can work on some strategies for striking a healthier balance. The perception of an ideal work/life balance of every individual is different.

Let us view some questions below:

1. Do you work late hours at office every day & take your work at home as well?
2. Do you feel stressed about the amount of time you spend at work, traveling to work or thinking about work?
3. Do you often take a lunch break which does not even last for 30 minutes?
4. Do you miss out on quality time with your family and friends because of pressure of work?
5. Do you think work is having a negative effect on your personal life?
6. Do you often think that you do not get enough time for yourself?
7. Do you feel anxious or upset because of what is happening at work?
8. Do you feel tired or depressed because of work?
9. Do you often lose your temper at work?

If your answer is a yes, then you seriously need to take a fresh breath of air and a new plan of routine. It’s all about perspective. The important thing is to give yourself permission to seek a healthy working environment where you can thrive instead of just survive. Remember, work never ends, people do.

Work life balance means time management, customer service and change management. To achieve better work-life balance, each individual needs to work smarter in order to get more done in less time. Set realistic goals and focus on self-improvement which includes self-identity and assertiveness. Fighting anxiety and relaxing yourself is very important for a good professional life as it increases productivity which results in fast and better results.

As mentioned earlier, work-life balance is different for each of us because we all have different priorities, different lives and different professions. However, there are two basic everyday theories that are relevant to each and every one of us i.e. Daily Achievement & Daily Enjoyment. Achievement and Enjoyment are like the two sides of a coin; one cannot exist without the other.

Below are some certain questions which one should keep asking him/herself regularly, and they are:

Why do you want ….

• .. a new house?
• .. a better earning?
• .. to come to work at all?
• .. good education for your kids?

All these “Whys” lead to one answer; to achieve success and a better comfortable life for yourself and your family. This is the dream of every human being whether he is a barber or the CEO of a company. Life can and will deliver the value and balance we desire when we are achieving and enjoying something every single day. So, a good working definition of Work-Life Balance could be:

Meaningful Daily Achievement and Enjoyment in: Work, Family, Friends & Self.

Take 15 to 20 minutes on the way back home from work and do something just for yourself. It could be a gym activity, a stroll in the park or a cup of coffee with friends. It could be anything which is solely for yourself which can give you pleasure and the feeling of being special.

Married to your work?

Internet has over shadowed our lives completely. Sometimes, for professionals, the lines between work and life are so blurred that they become non-existent. The internet is always on, accessible from just about anywhere and our work and play are often both in the same browser. As a result, we lose touch with our real life and become more inclined towards a virtual life style.

Following the fulfillment of your dreams is a justifiable excuse when you are trying to earn a promotion or some extra money for your kid’s schooling or a dream holiday. So working for some extra hours becomes a bit tempting. Still for others, working more hours feels necessary in order to manage the workload. But this requires more time at work and is likely to result in the suffering of your home life.

Below are some consequences of working extra hours affecting your work-life balance.

Exhaustion:

When a person is tired, his performance lacks efficiency and productivity. It adversely affects his ability to think and slows down his physical coordination with work making him prone to more mistakes. These mistakes end up damaging his image & creating a negative impact on his professional reputation.

Suffering Family:

Extra working hours consume your family time. You may miss out on important family events, such as your child’s first step or your mother’s 50th birthday. Missing out on important family events may create friction and harm relationships with your loved ones.

Suffering Friends:

Good friends are like energy boosters for your system. But if you are unable to adjust them in your routine, you might lose your friendships.

Increased Expectations:

If you are a habitual extra hour worker, there is a chance you may be given more responsibility. This way you will be in the middle of a non-ending and expanding work cycle, attracting more tasks and challenges.

Sometimes working overtime is important as it is required by the company and it is unavoidable. Still you can learn to manage it. If you are too tired, inform your boss about it. Tell him that the work is affecting your health and also try to speak up when you have crucial family obligations. If you are a productive and dedicated employee, there is every chance that your request will be catered positively.

Handy Solutions to Work-Life Balance:

For most professionals, juggling the demands of career and personal life is an ongoing challenge. The goal is to make time for the activities that are “the most important” to you.

Here are some handy solutions to help you find the balance that is best for yourself:

Make a list:

Organize yourself by making a list of things that you have to do for a week. Include work and non-work-related activities. Only pick out necessary tasks along with the activities that satisfy you the most and leave the rest. If you do not have the authority to make certain decisions, you can have a meeting with your supervisor to form a proper plan.

Flexible timings:

Find out if your employer offers flex hours. The flexibility may alleviate some of your stress and free up some time.
Pat at your back: At work, if nobody pats you on the back today, pat yourself on the back, and help others to do the same. When you are a person who doesn’t only get things done, but also enjoys doing it, people will automatically be attracted towards you. They will want you on their team and they will want to be on yours.

Learn to say no:

Practice and learn to say no, e.g., when a colleague asks for your assistance in an extra project, remember that it is okay to respectfully excuse yourself by saying no. When you quit doing the things you only do out of false sense of obligation, you will experience a wider room in your life for the activities that are meaningful to you and bring you joy.

Leave your work at office:

When you walk out of your office door make yourself leave the work behind you. With today’s global business mentality and the technology to connect to anyone at any time from virtually anywhere, there’s no boundary between work and home. Thus you have to create this boundary yourself. Consciously separate work time from personal time. When you are inside your house with your family, turn off your cell phone and put away your laptop computer.

Manage your time:

Organize your work by making a to-do list. A weekly family calendar of important dates and a daily list of to-dos will help you avoid deadline panic. If your employer offers a course in time management, sign up for it.

Clear communication:

Limit time-consuming misunderstandings by communicating clearly and listening carefully at work as well as at home. Take notes if necessary.

Pamper yourself:

Set aside time each day for an activity that you enjoy, such as walking, working out or listening to music. Unwind after a hectic workday by reading, practicing yoga or taking a bath or shower. Remember, having a family and a job is OK for both men and women.

Set aside one night each week for recreation:

Take the phone off the hook, power down the computer and turn off the TV. Discover activities you can do with your partner, family or friends, such as playing golf, a picnic, watching a good movie etc. Managing time for activities you enjoy will rejuvenate you and your lifestyle.

Stop burdening your off day:

Try to schedule some of your routine chores on workdays so that your days off are more relaxing. Take proper sleep, eat healthy food and give proper time to friends.

Color your world:

Finally, don’t underestimate the psychological impact of color. Surround yourself with greens and blues to create a sense of tranquility.

It’s your life!

Creating balance in your life is a continuous process. Keep the changes tracked as they occur in your family, interests and work life and keep changing your work-life planner accordingly. Assess your situation every few months to make sure you are on track. Change routines and plan your days.

You are bestowed with one life so make it what you want it to be. You are the one to choose how you will spend every minute of every day, with whom and doing what. You will be the happiest individual if you choose for yourself for a change and not let anyone else do it for you. Be dedicated towards your responsibilities, but don’t become a victim of time. You do have the power over yourself as well as your time, so use it.