Finding the Right Work Life Balance
We are always on the grind, trying to meet deadlines and complete tasks, sometimes at the expense of our own wellbeing (remember those burnouts?). While we do know that prioritizing work over everything else is not healthy, we continue to do so because of our desire to succeed in our career. Sounds familiar?
In today’s day and age, instead of constantly working and pushing away other activities and people, we should find and establish a right work/life balance. Doing so will not only help us to progress in our career paths, but will also improve our wellbeing in many aspects, including mental and emotional!
Here are some benefits to having the right work/life balance:
- Feel more motivated and less stressed at work
- Become more productive
- Maintain mental, physical, and emotional health and wellbeing
So how do you find and maintain the right work/life balance?
Let go of perfectionism
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By constantly striving to ensure our work is of top quality, and by holding high standards for ourselves, we are often unaware of the repercussions of perfectionism.
Perfectionism could be something that we have cultivated as kids and as we grow older, we find it harder and harder to accomplish anything perfectly. As a result, we keep trying and pushing ourselves, which inevitably leads to burnouts which take a toll on our mental and physical health.
By letting go of perfectionism, we become less compelled to drive ourselves to a point where we prioritize work over ourselves. Instead, we can focus on delivering and producing work that is of good enough quality, without compromising our health and wellbeing.
Unplug after work
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Once you are done with work for the day, turn off your phone, or at least your notifications for anything work-related. Especially with how interconnected everything is because of technology, this may seem like a difficult task. But it is important to distance yourself from work, both offline and online.
Instead, spend quality time with your family and friends. Have a dinner and some drinks with your loved ones and put your phone aside and remember to not check it!
Unplugging after work helps take your mind off work and helps you to balance both work and life by allocating time and attention for each.
Set aside a time to journal
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Journaling is a great way to help you find and maintain a work/life balance that is just for you! Grab a journal and sit down for 15 minutes to jot down your thoughts.
You could vent about any frustrations and troubles you faced at work which helps you to relieve stress and release your anger in a healthy manner. Or write about the day you had with your loved ones, which will remind you that work isn’t everything and that it is important to focus on your personal life as well.
You could also do some self-reflection, do a brain-dump, write down your goals (both personal and career related), plan out your week and more!
Setting aside a time to journal will help you to organize your thoughts, relieve any stress and improve your overall wellbeing.
Life mood by meditation
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Had a rough day at work? It’s time to meditate.
Meditating has many benefits such as relieving stress and controlling anxiety. Stress accumulated from work will take a toll on not just your body, but your mind and emotions as well.
By meditating, you can feel better and get ready to tackle the next workday! Set aside time to meditate whenever you aren’t feeling your best and boost your mood. You will feel more refreshed after a meditation session instead of a 5-hour Netflix binge.
It’s important to know when to take a step back from work when it gets too overwhelming and practice self-care.
Plan morning/evening routine
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Take the time to plan a morning/evening routine! This helps you to keep track of your agendas for the day and ensures that you are allocating time for activities other than work.
It gives you a visual representation of how your day will go and be sure to stick to it! If you had planned a meditation session before sleep or a morning exercise, do it.
Remember that there is more to life than work and planning and sticking to a morning/evening routine helps you to strike a balance between work and life.
Having a social life after work
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Call your friends up for a dinner and movie night. Spend quality time with your family and loved ones. Take a breather and just live in the moment and keep work out of your mind.
Having a social life after work gives you the opportunity to connect and socialize, helping you to reduce stress and boost your happiness as well!
It is important to find and maintain the right work/life balance for you and while it differs from person to person, these tips are still applicable to everyone. Having the right work/life balance will make you happier, more motivated, and less stressed out!
