Work & Life Balance
“Finding a way to create the buoyancy for life and smoother sailing.”
Everyone needs time to take a break from life’s constant demands for work. Had I not taken a break myself, I would have published another two articles in the last two months if I could. I knew deep down it was time to switch things up. Sometimes, all it takes is a little shift in perspective and redirecting one’s energy to change course. This can help prevent burnout and chronic stress build up. If you’re someone who is suffering or has suffered from being under tremendous amounts of stress, then maybe now is the right time to take the opportunity to reward yourself for all the hard work. If you really want things to be smoother overall with performance and stability, then maybe a vacation to see friends and family is a good choice. Travelling can be fun and exciting.
When you give yourself the appropriate amount of time in between one chapter of life to the next, there is a period of peace to appreciate. While you’re in this space, you may notice the pieces of your life slowly coming together. Soon you will be ready and waiting to take on the next part of the journey that awaits you.
Personally, I think that putting health first before anything else in life is important. This way, I can enjoy what time I have with others and make sure that I am investing in the longevity of my life at the same time. We all have our own preferences when it comes to prioritization or enjoying life. You cannot just work your life away, but you also can’t just live without having some kind of responsibility. This is why I believe that having a balance catered to your own schedule is ideal. This way, you can have things go the way you’d like within reason.
Whether you are a business owner, employee of a company or independent contractor, it is vital that you maintain a sense of control and balance in your work ethic. Many companies have a Human Resources Department to rely on when it comes to communicating back and forth between employer and employee. By using this source of communication, you can live more comfortably by making sure that your needs are met in the work environment.
Pruvia Integrated Limited puts it transparently. The role of HR in promoting work life balance is necessary for companies and employees alike.
Balancing your personal life with business and work is huge.
Now what do you do if you do not work for a company? Maybe you are looking to maintain work life balance on your own terms.
I am going to show you how you can start to integrate that balance wherever you go in life.
- Time Management
For everyone of us, there is a cycle that we have either adapted to or created. These cycles allow us to formulate habitual actions into full on schedules. Whether you’re constantly on the go or keep an open window for opportunities, it is key finding what works for you. Some of us would prefer to have more flexibility than others. At the end of the day when priorities meet deadlines, you must practice time management skills. Craig Jarrow, author of Time Management Ninja, says that your schedule needs to be flexible in order to stay productive when life happens. If you are able to adapt your productivity to your day’s circumstances, you will remain productive no matter what happens.
2. Prioritization
Prioritizing increases work efficiency drastically. For example, when I chose to make my health a first priority, I noticed that I felt way better tackling the next task at hand. This can also improve focus, lower stress levels and boost deadline progress. In Steven Covey’s book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, there is a Time Management Matrix that allows you to prioritize each and every event, deadline, opportunity, recreation and miscellaneous activity. This way, you can categorize all of your options by importance and urgency.
3. Boundaries
As former law professor, ethics lecturer, and founder of CHARACTER COUNTS! Michael Josephson famously taught: “What you allow, you encourage.” How you engage with others and what boundaries you establish with colleagues teach them what they can and can’t say and do to you. A big part of setting boundaries in a workplace, whether that’s at the office, working from home or on the go, is communicating clearly. Many people will allow others to walk all over them or be treated disrespectfully because they lack the confidence in being direct. Saying no when it is appropriate, whether it is an unrealistic expectation, uncomfortable interaction or fear of burning out, is always good for taking care of yourself. I highly suggest reading the book When I Say No I Feel Guilty by Manuel Smith. This book specializes in assertiveness training to help teach assertive communication. Make sure to identify any non-negotiable boundaries that you need to have respected ahead of time. Things will go much more smoothly. By being able to communicate clearly and confidently between yourself and others, you will be able to prevent unwanted events from occurring. Don’t be afraid to assert boundaries inside and outside of work. Even family and friends may need to understand when you’re being spread too thin.
4. Passion
“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.” Steve Jobs had a very good point when it comes to loving what you do. Being passionate and having a sense of satisfaction with your work makes the process a lot more enjoyable. This gives purpose to what you are doing. You feel more fulfilled in life. No one wants to be tied down to something that they truly regret starting in the first place.
5. Unplug
Deep Work author Cal Newport explains, solitude is less about physical isolation, and more about mentally disconnecting:
“The key to solitude is to step away from reacting to the output of other minds: be it listening to a podcast, scanning social media, reading a book, watching TV or holding an actual conversation.”
“Spending time isolated from other minds is what allows you to process and regulate complex emotions… It’s what allows you to crack hard problems, and is often necessary for creative insight. If you avoid time alone with your brain, your mental life will be much more fragile and much less productive.”
The idea is to make sure you’re thoroughly enjoying relaxation and “me time” in order to recharge. Processing or even just taking a break from work means you’ll have to walk away to get back into a better mindset. When you are done unplugging from your current focus, you can always take the opportunity to ask for help and look for an outside perspective. Connecting with others after much needed rest time can prove to be very valuable.
For now, with these five tools in mind, I believe that you can truly find the balance that you’re looking for in life on your own terms. Whether it is working for others or independently, it is always important to be able to chart your own course. Especially when things get bumpy and the waves can be harder to sail. Keep sailing and stay positive. I will see you guys shortly.
