How many times have you said to yourself, “There’s not enough time in the day?” If you experience the feeling of being worked too hard and out of sorts with the rest of your life, then you are definitely not alone. While modern technology was supposed to enhance our lives, our lives have in fact accelerated.
When you receive a work email they expect a reply as quickly as possible. You work for a company which trades globally and those texts and emails come in at all times of the day and night. Trying to juggle those demands together with the time demands of an active social or family life can leave you feeling exhausted by the end of each week
This can leave you approaching Monday morning with fear. Maintaining this pattern can have a damaging effect on your relationships and health. If you are feeling as though you are trying to do too much, then it may be the time to develop an improved work/life balance.
The following are some tips to help you find that ideal balance:
Organize Your To-Do List
Outside of work’s daily assignments, there are also our “life assignments”. These are the many things that we must do outside of the typical workweek, to maintain our living standards. However, this does not mean you cannot be more organized with your own to-do list.
Rather than going to the grocery store after work every day, write a shopping list for one trip to the store that will last you for the full week. There’s an app to help you with that! If your dry cleaner has a delivery service, then take advantage of that offer. If you need stamps, purchase them online. Identify ways to reduce the little errands that take up your time.
Avoid Energy Vampires
There are people or events that can be best described as Energy Vampires. This basically means, they can suck the life out of you with the way they behave. Maybe it’s a work colleague that’s constantly gossiping or complaining. Maybe you find doing the laundry time-consuming. Whatever issues you have look for an opportunity to change your life.
There’s no need to spend lunchtime every day with the “work gossip” and you take advantage of your laundries clean and fold service. Make the most of your own downtime and achieve as much as you can with it. Do not waste it.
Control Your Schedule
It’s simple for a busy executive to organize their workday. All of your conference calls, meetings, and other planning sessions, are entered into the calendar. They are must-do tasks. Your personal free time should be as equally important and needs to be organized accordingly.
Mark your appointments with family or friends on your calendar and stick to them just as you would your business appointments. Half the battle of creating the ideal work/life balance is recognizing that your free time away from work is just as important as your 9-5 schedule is.
Relax and Unwind
Do not underestimate the value of your “me time.” Regardless of whether this means finding the time to relax and read some chapters from a bestselling book or taking half an hour for a relaxing bath to allow you to unwind.
One of the ways to improve your life balance is to allow yourself a little time alone. Unless you identify a more positive and enjoyable way to recharge your batteries, you will not be any use at home or at work!
