Maintaining work-life balance isn’t easy. And with new technology and work expectations—well, it’s even more of a challenge. In the world of being plugged-in 24/7, it is easy to forget the importance of separating our work life and our personal life—let alone know how to juggle the two worlds. Sound familiar? Not to worry—we’ve got your back. We’ve compiled a list of ways to help you bring more balance into your busy life (and some inspirational quotes to get you through the toughest days):
“Do less. Be more.”—Elizabeth Grace Saunders
If you’re like us, you often make more work for yourself than you have to. You know how it goes: mindlessly wasting time browsing social media, chatting away on personal phone calls, and surfing the web in search of the next handbag (or cute cat video—come on, you know you do it!). If you pay more attention to where you are spending your time, you might be able to spend more of it doing the things you enjoy. Our tip: For one day, write down everything you do. See where you are wasting time.
“Balance is not better time management, but better boundary management.”—Betsy Jacobson
Work isn’t going to set boundaries for you. You have to set them for yourself. Scheduling your own downtime(opens in a new tab) in your calendar will help keep the two worlds of work and life separate. Spending time with your friends, family, or significant other is imperative to your overall happiness. Even so, it’s hard to keep in mind when the workload gets heavy. Our tip: Create a calendar with both your work and fun commitments. This way, you are able to see how to balance both more carefully, and it will keep you mindful of the importance of downtime.
“Either you run the day, or the day runs you.”—Jim Rohn
Keep in mind that, at the end of the day, you are in charge of your own life. You make your own priorities. Sometimes, even when you’re “off the clock,” you still have a million things to do at home. A great way to balance your week is to make a list of priorities, especially at home. Instead of feeling overwhelmed with an endless amount of chores, make a list at the beginning of the week of what needs to get done and when. Stick to the list, and enjoy taking some time to relax. Remember, without downtime, it’s easy to burn out. High stress, both at work and home, can negatively affect your health(opens in a new tab). Our tip: On Sundays, make a list of priorities for the week of what you’d like to accomplish, and decide on the days you plan to complete each task. This way, you spread out the tasks and leave some time each day for doing something you enjoy.
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