NH Hotels Apr 11, 2023
Finding the perfect work and life balance is what we are all searching for. Both of these, take up a huge significance in our lives and it’s all about finding an equilibrium between daily stress at work and life, with the things that matter most to us and that bring us happiness and joy.
Here are a few questions to ask yourself (or take this quiz) to determine if you are maintaining a healthy work life:
If you said yes to any of these, keep reading and then take some time to re-evaluate everything and find out what is causing you the most stress.
“Choose a job you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life” – Confucius
If you enjoy going to work and are able to make time for yourself and your family, it sounds like you have all the right things going for you. But if your job is causing you to suffer and you really dislike it, it may be time to start looking for another job. You even have the opportunity to change careers. You do not have to stay anywhere that causes distress because life is too short and it is never too late to start learning and doing something new. As long as it makes you happy, then it is definitely worth having a look, but try to stick it out as long as you can until you are able to find something else
Finding contentment at any job really shows positive outcomes in the work environment. Studies have shown that employees who are happy on the job, are more likely to not be absent because they want to show up and they enjoy what they do. Productivity also plays a key role in this. The happier the employee, the more productive they will be. When trying to figure out what will make your coworkers the happiest, communication is key. A chat about flexible hours, working remotely, and appreciation will go a long way.
But why do we work so hard? We were all taught to work hard and be successful in life. It is definitely okay to challenge yourself in your career as long as you are enjoying what you do and figuring out what success means to you. A lot of people push themselves nonstop because they fear losing their job or they are trying to climb the corporate ladder. But life does not have to evolve around your job 24/7 and if it does, know why you are there and that it’s where you want to be.
A lot of us have a hard time saying no. We want to be people pleasers and we were brought up to believe that saying no isn’t nice. But let me tell you, being walked all over isn’t fun either. Setting boundaries at your workplace is vital for your mental well-being and health. We have all felt the pressure to say yes and take on more duties, but saying no is important for your work-life balance.
One simple yet effective way to do this, is to use a separate phone, computer, and/or email for the workplace, which are strictly used only while on the job. Unless you are specifically paid to be on-call after normal business hours, then the moment you clock out we recommend shutting down all professional communication and logging out until you’re officially back on duty. It will not be the end of the world if you miss someone’s call or text.
This technique is just as beneficial for remote workers as on-site employees, and does wonders for people who have a hard time resisting the temptation of checking their phone or emails every couple of minutes when they should be relaxing and unwinding for the day (or weekend).
Another important way to set boundaries is by knowing exactly what your job description entails, so that you are not doing additional responsibilities not included in your contract. If you start taking on other tasks that are not in the job description, this is a
boundary concern which potentially opens you up to being taken advantage of by your employer. It can also quickly lead to feelings of resentment, which in the end will hurt your job performance and mental health.
As much as some of us love being around other people (or don’t) and going to work, we need to make time for ourselves. Giving ourselves adequate mental breaks and time to recharge from the daily stresses of life is essential to avoiding burnout. Finding that space for yourself has a lot of proven benefits for mental health and personal exploration. You may even find what could be causing you stress, sadness, or anger.
In addition to keeping separate emails and phone numbers in our professional and personal lives, we also suggest unplugging from social media. Ultimately it makes no difference whether your alone time involves going for a walk, doing yoga, or hitting golf balls, as everyone has different passions and interests.
For you, alone time could mean reading a book or meditating, and for someone else it could mean going for a hike or painting. The important thing is that you’re living in the moment and focused on yourself, rather than your professional life. Consequently, doing this will lead to you being happier and therefore more productive and focused when you are on the clock.
Just as it’s critical to give ourselves quality alone time, it’s also super important to set aside time to spend with friends and family. Plan a day or evening for a romantic dinner with your spouse or for quality time with the kids. Maybe schedule a fun weekend getaway with your friends. Even simple things like a quick lunch date with a friend you haven’t seen in a while, can go a long way in creating positive changes in our professional to personal life balance. Plus, it gives us something to look forward to during stressful days at the office.
A demanding career and personal responsibilities make it difficult enough to maintain a healthy work and life balance. Try not to make the problem worse by neglecting your physical health. When “in the zone” or under pressure to meet an upcoming
deadline, it’s all too easy to ignore or forget our basic physical needs, but physical and mental health go together hand in hand.
So while it may feel more productive in the immediate short term to skip dinner or stay up late to meet a goal, it will ultimately hurt not just your body, but your efficiency and the quality of the finished product.
Likewise, when feeling sick, it may seem counterproductive to call out for a day or two, but in the end it will be well worth it. Pushing yourself too hard will simply drag out the illness and delay recovery, making you even less productive in the end. The best thing you can do for yourself is to stay home and get the rest you need to fully heal.
The best things you could do for yourself is to make sure to get adequate rest, keep yourself properly hydrated, and to maintain a regular eating schedule. Drinking water throughout the day and eating a healthy breakfast in the morning, have both been shown to increase productivity and physical and mental wellbeing. And lack of sleep has been shown to negatively effect concentration, problem solving and communication; all things vital to good job performance.
Setting goals will give you the perfect opportunity to start prioritizing the things that matter most to you. Remember that it is not about splitting the hours between work and life but about having the flexibility to finish your daily tasks in the office and still have the energy to enjoy your time at home. There is no “perfect balance” and you may have to move things around each day and assess your priorities.
Plan ahead and block off an hour or two where you are usually the most productive during the day, so that you know that this time is for you and the activity you plan on doing. You also know that you need to start and end work at a certain time, and once it is that time, sign off, close your laptop and walk away. If you have to stay a bit longer, set yourself a time limit so that way you do not get caught up and stay online until the middle of the night, because we have all been there.
Work and life balance will always be different for each person but it does not mean it is not important for everyone. Some people will feel more fulfillment on the job, and others will find more happiness at home with their families. We are all striving to find that perfect balance and just know that there will always be setbacks but that we will always overcome them and there is always a solution.
