Work-life balance is your prioritization of the time and energy committed to your professional and personal responsibilities. How you divide your time depends on what best fits your needs on a given day.
Work-life balance typically does not mean an equal balance of your responsibilities. As your priorities change, how you balance your commitments typically changes as well.
Your ability to achieve the work-life balance that is right for you helps increase your motivation, engagement, and productivity. The better able you are to find a healthy balance between your professional and personal life, the happier and healthier you should be.
The maintenance of work-life balance is especially important if your work arrangement is remote or hybrid. It can be challenging to enforce set work hours when your teammates and manager are not present to encourage you not to work during the early morning or late-night hours. This is why you must enforce boundaries for your work hours. The rest of your time needs to be spent on yourself and your family members.
Implement these tips to better manage your work-life balance.
Limit Nonessential Activities
Maintain a schedule of your most productive tasks as much as possible. The prioritization of the tasks that need to be finished increases the odds that they get done when planned.
Spend a small amount of time on your less important activities. These typically include checking your personal email, browsing social media, and surfing the internet. You can make time for these activities during your non-work hours.
Learn to Say No
Turn down the projects and activities you do not have time for. This may include social requests such as coworker parties that you have little interest in.
If you agree to take on everything that is asked of you, you likely will begin to feel overwhelmed. Your increasing workload and social activities can take away time from your core responsibilities or the personal activities that mean the most. This can result in increased stress and decreased productivity.
When asked to take on additional work, check whether there is room for it in your schedule. If not, explain to your manager why you cannot help out. Be sure to thank them for considering you.
Manage Your Stress
Schedule time to participate in activities that reduce stress. This may include yoga, meditation, running, reading, or working out.
Participation in activities you enjoy helps take your mind off work. It also can improve your mood and health. The better you manage your stress, the more engaged and productive you likely will be.
Regularly eat healthy foods. This helps strengthen your immune system and reduce your blood pressure.
Get 7-9 hours of sleep each night. Your body needs time to mentally and physically rest. You should wake up energized and productive.
Find a New Job
If you need a new IT job that offers better work-life balance, let RightStone help with your search. Visit our job board today.