Work life balance is a journey, not a destination. Thanks to competitive job markets and an ever burgeoning wave of technological advancements, it’s never been easier to fall into a pattern of overworking. While there is nothing wrong with striving to be the best employee possible, overworking can lead to a raft of problems such as severe stress and anxiety. It can also ultimately result in poor work performance. Here are some tips that will help you get the balance right, allowing you to combine your work ethic and personal happiness in harmony.
Don’t stop doing what makes you happy
Often, when the stress and pressure start to build up in an area of your life, ‘you’ time is the first thing to slide. You stop going to the gym, cancel coffee dates with friends and work through your lunch break. Chances are, despite all this, you still feel like you’re chasing your tail, leading you to be more irritable than you’ve ever been before. There is never going to be a perfect set of circumstances and if you’re putting off something that would make you feel fulfilled, relaxed or happy at work or at home because you’re waiting for ‘X’ to pass, you may be setting yourself even further back.
Understand what it is that drives you
If you feel like you’re just going through the motions, or are perpetually stressed, it may be that you aren’t headed in the right direction. If you don’t know what you want to do or what it is that drives you, seeking a career mentor could really help. Mentors can help you to identify opportunities and map out a path to help you achieve your goals. Mentors can also help with you finding your passion in other areas of life.
Start small
Setting and achieving mini goals can make a big difference. Something as simple as making sure you leave work on time one or two days a week, listening to your favourite song on your way to an important meeting, or even just unwinding at the end of a long day with a warm bath can all go a long way towards how you feel overall. Make a commitment to look after yourself. To get started, check out your schedule and identify at least one small change you can make this week that will help balance everything you need to get done. Ensure that you get a ‘break’ regularly to distract yourself from your workload, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant it may seem.
Work life balance can be difficult to define because it means something different to everyone. More often than not it comes down to how you’re feeling – if you’re constantly stressed, tired and irritable, it may mean that you need to take stock and evaluate how you can make a few changes in your day-to-day life.
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