Work-Life Balance Balancing of work & time schedule together What is Work-Life Balance? Work-life balance refers to the state of equi...
Work-Life Balance
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| Balancing of work & time schedule together |
What is Work-Life Balance?
Work-life balance refers to the state of equilibrium where an individual makes the best out of both his or her career and personal life. In other words, it is an arrangement that enables you move up the ladder of your career without sacrificing your personal relationships. This structure is fast becoming the new norm because of its numerous benefits.
The pandemic made many people realized what they have been missing for so long: work-life balance. Many companies were forced to ask their workers to work from home. It occurred to many people that they will prefer to continue with that arrangement. The chance to work from home is increasingly a preferred option for millennials because it offers work-life balance.
According to a survey by Accel and Qualtrics, 66%percent of millennials are willing to take a pay-cut to work remotely. This shows that many employees are frustrated with their struggles with work-life balance in a traditional team. Working from home enables you to execute projects without having to work from a designated desk. So, it is not surprising that many companies are working with a remote workforce. This approach enables them to get the best out of their employees.
Benefits of Work-Life Balance
Many people only get to do the things they like to do after their retirement. However, some people are getting the best out of life while working because they have a work-life balance. Below are some of the benefits of this lifestyle.
Less Stress
According to a Stanford professor, Jeffrey Pfeffer, workplace stress is killing Americans. In fact, it is rated as the 5th biggest cause of death in the US. Work stress refers to the result of conditions like high job demands, little autonomy on the job, and long hours of working. It damages productivity and morale.
However, it has been discovered to also have a drastic impact on wellbeing. Also, a quarter of Americans believe that their jobs are their main source of stress. Work-life balance helps to reduce stress and increase productivity.
Clear Boundaries
One of the reasons people struggle to have a balance between their career and personal life is due to the lack of clear boundaries between the two. Many people bring their jobs to the house and take their personal life to their workplaces. In other words, many people are guilty of straining their personal relationships by bringing in the pressure they are facing in their office. Also, they talk to their colleagues at work about their families, thereby bothering them with things that ought to stay at home. Work-life balance helps to create boundaries that will help you to have the best of the two worlds.
Improved Mental Health
When you feel that you have no choice but to work yourself out until you are mentally exhausted daily, it will eventually affect your mental health. You feel like a slave that has to do everything possible to make ends meet.
Without work-life balance, you are susceptible to negative emotions. You will lack the resources to handle them because you are emotionally overwhelmed.
Enhance Physical Health
Work-life balance doesn't only improve your mental health; it also enhances your physical health. When you have the necessary equilibrium in your career and personal life, you will be more relaxed and create time for more productive activities. You will be able to cook your meal, thereby eating healthily. You will also be able to have healthy sleeping habits and create more time for exercise. The product of these beneficial habits is sound physical health.
Boost Mindfulness
Working too much will strain your personal relationships. If you are married with kids, your spouse and children will feel that your job matters more to you than them. You will hardly have time to see your kids represent their schools or do any other thing that matters to them. The absence of a work- life balance is one of the reasons some marriages that started well broke down and eventually deteriorated into divorces.
Your spouse wants your attention, and he or she may not be able to cope when he or she is not getting it. When you are working moderately, you'll be able to be more present in the moment. You will be able to sit with your loved ones and enjoy their company without interference.
How to slow down the modern world ?
It's not good enough to understand the benefits of work-life balance; you should know how to incorporate it. Below are some tips that will help you in this regard.
Discard Perfectionism
The tendency for perfectionism is usually developed at a young age for many overachievers. They put a lot of pressure on themselves to have high performance because the demands on their time are still limited. Sadly, many carry this mindset into adulthood. Their desire to fulfill their potential leads them to an overdrive such that they are willing to neglect other aspects of their lives to climb the ladder of career success. They have been A-grade students, and now, they want to be A-grade workers. This desperation will not let you have a balanced career and personal life.
Reduce the Use of your Digital Devices
It is easier for people to bring their jobs home or take them wherever they go today, thanks to the advent of technology. It's a great advantage because it allows companies to offer more flexibility to their employees. Nonetheless, the problem is that some people don't know how to draw the boundaries because they have access to their workplace right from home. Some are fond of working on their laptops when their spouse and kids are seeking their attention. Have a principle of closing your laptop and keeping your phone away when speaking to your loved ones.
Regular Exercise
Many books and articles have been written about the numerous benefits of regular exercise. Virtually everyone knows its importance. Still, many people have a culture of eliminating it when they are busy. Exercise puts you in a meditative state that brings calmness to your body, according to the Mayo Clinic. No matter how busy you are, you still find time to eat because it is important. You should also treat exercise that way.
Get your Priorities Right
Make a list of the most important things to you in the order of their importance. This list cannot be the same for everyone. Nonetheless, your family, health, and job should be closer to the top. You need this list to recognize some other activities you devote your time to that are time- wasting. The reason some people struggle to have a work-life balance is that they spend excessive time on social media. Identify those activities that waste your time and limit them or eliminate them to create more time for your family and job.
Delegate More
Delegating doesn't only benefit you; it also gives room for others to grow and become more competent. As a career woman, you might need to sit down with your husband and discuss little areas where he can be of help at home to reduce the stress of fixing dinner for the home. Many men will gladly help out if you present the idea to them with the right approach. You can also engage your kids as they grow older.
GETTING THE BEST
OUT OF YOUR
DAILY ROUTINES
A day lost is a gift you can never regain. Therefore, it is imperative that you enjoy every day of your life as though it might be your last. Remember that what determines the quality of your day is the way you go about your activity. So, you need to change the way you go about the day to get the best out of it.Below are some hacks that can make a difference in your daily routines.
Focus on the Meaning or Benefits
One of the reasons we aren't motivated when carrying out some tasks is that we forget the benefits of that activity somewhere along the line. Indeed, some tasks could be physically demanding, such as doing laundry, mopping, or mowing the yard. Nevertheless, they are not meaningless activities. We carry them out because they are important to our health and the appearance of our home. No one wants to be in a home with overgrown grasses, dusty floors, and stinking clothes. Besides, you don't want your visitors to perceive you as a dirty person.
So, you should use the purpose of the activities as the motivation to complete them without grumbling. One of the reasons you procrastinate is that you have taken your eyes off the essence of the task. Remember how neat and tidy you will look while ironing your In same way, the personal feeling of satisfaction and good remarks you will get from guests when you clean your home. It's true that you'll feel tired when carrying out the activity, but you will forget all the stress you have gone through when you have completed it.
Make them Fun
Think of innovative ways you can carry out your daily routines to motivate you to do them. For example, you can make using the TV remote, brushing your teeth, and lifting an object more challenging by using your non- preferred hand. Checking your new email can also become a boring routine task despite its importance if you don't seek more effective ways to go about it. You can consider leveraging filters on your Gmail account, which enables you to prioritize some emails. Also, you can consider taking a new route when going to work or returning.
Your mind loves it when you do something in a different way. You can consider turning a routine into a game. For example, you can start checking how long it takes you to make your bed. Then set a challenge to beat that time the next time. You can do this for other activities too. We all love challenges and competitions because they have a way of making us work harder and more efficiently. Even if there is no one to compete with you, you can set up personal challenges that will get you up to speed.
Be at the Center
An activity takes a new look when you pay more attention to details. For example, you can enjoy eating your meal more when you eat slowly and pay attention to the taste of every bite and chunk. If you made the meal, think about the process involved and how your cooking skills have produced that magic. If it is a restaurant, appreciate the technique of the cooks and imagine the energy they put into making the meal. You'll realize that it feels different, unlike when you are just eating for the sake of it.
You can also make the best of your routines when you are present at the moment. Don't read a newspaper when watching a movie. Choose one task at a time and focus on it until you're through. When speaking to people, don't use your phone without seeking their permission. The human mind is not designed to focus on more than one task at a time. When you try to do more than one thing at the same time, you find yourself stressed out. You'll end up not making the best out of any of those activities.
Optimize your Strength
You cannot enjoy your life to the fullest when you haven't discovered yourself. You should know your strengths and weaknesses. When you identify the things you are good at, you will find them enjoyable. Delegate the things you are not fantastic at doing to others, especially when you can afford to pay for extra hands. If mowing the yard ruins your week or day, and you can afford to pay someone else to do it, why not? It doesn't make you lazy. You are only smart enough to concentrate your energy on more productive things.
If you haven't discovered the things you do effortlessly, you will struggle with efficiency. Note that the fact that you're struggling with a task doesn't mean that you're not cut out for it. You might need more training and guidance to do it better. So, ensure you do your research to improve your efficiency.
When you are better at doing something, you will find it more fun to do it. You'll stop procrastinating and do more within the time limit you have.
Otherwise, you'll keep giving yourself ten reasons you shouldn't do what you need to do at the right time.
Think about the Future
Daydreaming can be good when carrying out a task that seems to be stressful to you. For example, while washing the car, especially during the weekend, you can brighten up your mood by thinking about a date you have the next weekend. Think about the things you will say and how you'll dress. Before you realize it, you are through with the task! This approach can be counterproductive if what you're doing requires you to think about it. For example, it isn't advisable when reading your email. However, it's a fantastic way to go through activities that requires your energy and physical strength more than your cognitive ability.
Also, it is vital that you don't let the beautiful thoughts make you stop what you're doing. If you are becoming distracted by the thoughts such that you find yourself resting to focus on the imaginations, you need to find a different method. You can consider listening to music while carrying out the activity.
This works well when working out. Create a playlist of your favourite songs and play them while sweating it out.
Leverage your Peak Energy Period
It's not every activity you should do in the morning or in the evening as the case may be. Don't copy the schedule of others because it isn't everything that works for others that will work for you. You need to understand your body to know your peak energy period. Your peak energy period is that part of the day when you're the most energized and alert. For some people, it is in the morning, while it is in the evening for some people. Once you discover your own, you need to reschedule your activities.
Put those activities that demand more energy and a higher level of alertness in your peak energy period. Move the less demanding ones to the other period of the day. This approach ensures that you'll have enough in the tank for both the demanding and less stressful tasks. You'll no longer end the day feeling that there is more you could have done. You will also stop postponing things you can do today to the next day.
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