Whether you are running your own company or trying to juggle many of life’s tasks, you will know how hard it can be to find time for yourself. It might not be that you don’t want to take a break, it might be that you don’t feel you have the time to do so. Despite this feeling of a lack of time, there are often many ways that you can create a successful work and life balance.
What is a Work-Life Balance?
The word balance is often thought to mean an equal amount or fifty, fifty. However, when you think about work and life balance, this ratio is often greater on one side. The balance you are striving for is one that is individual to the needs of you and your family. It might be that you want to have more time with your family than you do at work. That means a balance that is heavy in the family life area. Only a few people manage or choose to have an equal amount of time for work and life. Before you decide on how you will create this work and life balance, you need to think about how much time you want to spend with each.
Learn to Let Go of the Fear
One of the reasons that many people don’t have a good work-life balance is that they are afraid of not working a much as they do. It might be that you are running your own business and you think that means working long hours to keep it running. While this might be the case early on in a new company, you should be able to scale down your work time as the business becomes established. Similarly, if you are working to support your family, it can be difficult not to work all the hours you can. However, your family will want to have time with you as well as needing you to work, so you need to find a way to have both.
Recognize the Importance of Family Time
Because of this fear that some people have of not working, they can lose sight of the reasons they are working so hard. If you have a family, then these are the most important people in your life, their lives and the things they do are more important than working, because many of these life events will not happen again. That is why many people have started to consider their home life and whether working long hours is leading to them missing out on some of the events in their children’s lives.
Schedule Important Events in Your Life
One of the best ways to remember and take part in important events is to schedule them into your day. For example, if you want to go to your child’s event at their school, then make sure you put the date and time on your calendar. That way, you won’t book something else at the same time, or promise to work instead. It sounds like a simple idea, but it can make a huge difference to your personal life, and the lives of your family.
Think About Your Boundaries
Sometimes it can be difficult to set yourself a limit on the work you do, especially when you are running your own business. However, if you are intent on creating a better balance you need to think about the boundaries you need to set yourself. For example, if you are always working until late at night, then try to set yourself a time to stop and leave the office. It will be tough at first, but it will be an important step. If you are working for a company, then try to think about the hours you are working or if you are taking on additional work. Perhaps you should be thinking about reducing your hours and taking something like a part time hospital jobs. It will give you more time to spend with your family, and also help you to organize your life better. It can also be a good idea to turn off your business phone when not working, this will help you to resist the temptation to check it or answer calls.
Build in Some Time for Yourself
Even if you don’t have kids, it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t have some time to yourself. If you work for too many hours without rest, you will start to find your health will suffer. Schedule a time when you can go a do something you love such as a hobby or maybe some exercise. These things will make it easier for you to unwind and relax as well as reduce the stress of work. If you do have a family, then you should still try to fit in some time for yourself just as your partner should. It is surprising how a little time to yourself can make such a big difference.
Think About Where You Live and Work
Commuting a long way to work and back not only takes up a lot of time in your day, but it can also limit the amount of time you have for your life balance. Many executives have realized that living away from home or traveling a lot doesn’t give them much time for their family. For that reason, you need to look at where you work and also the location you live in. Not everyone can choose where they work, but you might be able to live closer to reduce your travel time. If you are lucky enough to be able to choose where you work, then pick somewhere closer to home. You will find that it will help greatly with your work-life balance and reduce your stress levels.
Finding a successful work-life balance isn’t always easy, or the same for everyone. However, if you can start to change some of the things you do, you will soon understand the importance of having a good balance in your life.
