Is your work-life balance a good one? It can be hard to know unless you’re actively taking steps to make yours better. Perhaps you’re not entirely sure what a work-life balance actually is or why it’s important.
Essentially, the work-life balance is the split between your professional and personal life. Ideally, the two should not mix much, if at all, and it’s best to have a definite line between them, so you can have time when you know you’re meant to be productive and time when you know you can relax and have fun. Having a good work-life balance is good for your physical and mental health, and it makes both your work and home life easier. With that in mind, here are some of the best ways to achieve a good work-life balance.
Create Boundaries
One of the big problems these days is that there are very few boundaries between your work life and your home life. This is down to many things, including social media and technology allowing us to be contactable 24 hours a day and the advent of more remote working. Whereas in the past, your home would have been a sanctuary away from work, now it is your workplace, and that means trying to put firm boundaries in place is hard.
This is why it can often be better to work outside of the home. Take a look at offices to rent in London and it might be that this is an option you want to consider. The boundaries between work and home will be much easier to stick to.
Get Some ‘Me Time’
‘Me time’ sounds selfish; its very name suggests only thinking of yourself. However, as much as the idea might not appeal at first, it’s actually very important and it will make a big difference in your work-life balance. Me time is not at all selfish because it’s good for you; it means doing something just for you. This could be a hobby or simply relaxing and doing nothing while others leave you to yourself for a few minutes, hours, or perhaps days, depending on what you need.
There are many things you can do with this me time. Relax in the bath, do some exercise, read a book, watch a movie, meditate, listen to music, study (if you find it fun), and the list goes on. Enjoy this time and make the most of it, and you’ll be relaxed and productive when you go back to work.
Learn To Say No
It’s hard to say no to people. We don’t want to disappoint them or for them to think badly of us. We want to please them. However, sometimes saying no is the best thing you can do, even if it does cause them some problems. You need to think of yourself more, and saying no is one way to do this.
Of course, we don’t mean saying no to everything. If you do this, you’ll miss out on having fun and some great opportunities. However, if there is an event you can’t make (or don’t want to go to), it’s fine to say no. If there is something someone needs help with and it would interfere with your own work or your me time, you have to say no. Say yes when you can, say no when you must, and your work-life balance will improve.