How To Have A Balanced Life While Still Being Successful At Work
It always seems as if there are a million things to do. Your career keeps you busy throughout the day with projects and work that seems to never end. Your home life is just as busy balancing household responsibilities, raising families, and social obligations.
If you feel you could benefit from being cloned, you're not the only one who wishes this!
Unfortunately, we live in uncertain times that cause many people to feel pressured into working as much as possible. With the cost of everything rising constantly, the temptation to work as much as possible is understandable. However, this doesn't exactly equate to a balanced life.
If you find that you are bringing home your work quite often or are always thinking about it, let's talk about some ways to find balance.
How To Have A Balanced Life While Still Being Successful At Work
Set Boundaries
A more balanced life often begins with setting boundaries at work and home.
At work, set boundaries so that you will learn to say no to projects when you are feeling overwhelmed. Once you begin feeling overwhelmed at work, the temptation to bring your projects home to work on to keep up with everything starts. Learning to say no, while difficult at first, can help you manage your anxiety and stress levels.
When you are at home, even if you don't have any work to do, it can be tempting to check emails throughout the night. This can be more difficult to do if you work from home. However, set clear boundaries with yourself and your colleagues about when your working hours are. Over time, this will help you break the cycle of the urge to constantly be up to date on what is happening.
Time Management
In addition to setting boundaries with yourself at home, time management skills at work can help you feel more balanced overall.
Create a schedule for tackling the most important aspects of your workday, then stick with that schedule.
Block out specific times to work on certain projects.
Additionally, be realistic about what you can reasonably accomplish throughout the day. While we all want to be able to get as much done as possible, unfortunately, there will be items on our lists that we have to leave for the next day. Remind yourself that that is okay.
Ask for Help
Maybe you are buried in work and trying to accomplish everything yourself. Or, maybe you are a team leader balancing many job duties simultaneously.
In either case, don't be afraid to ask your colleagues for help. If you have the authority to delegate some of your work, you can also do that.
We tend to refrain from asking others for help, but in moderation, it can be helpful.
Home Life
Of course, we can't talk about maintaining balance without discussing tips for your home life, as well.
Many of the same tips above can be applied to home life. For example, as a family, you can work on time management by reviewing everyone's schedules for after-school activities or social obligations for the adults.
Earlier, we also mentioned resisting the urge to check emails during after-work hours. Take it another step further and limit your screen time altogether. This can help you stay engaged with your family and give your eyes a healthy break from the harmful blue light emitted from screens.
Counseling
You aren't alone if you are overwhelmed with balancing your work and home life. Relationship therapy can help you find even more ways to maintain your success at work while enabling you to have a healthy home life. Reach out when you are ready.
