We are so busy living our lives, taking care of family, work, making critical decisions and managing everyday challenges, that we don’t realize what we are missing. When life falls out of balance, we feel stress that can affect us both mentally and physically. But if we work to create work/life balance we eliminate the risk of burnout and illness. When we achieve work/life balance our productivity increases and we begin to live life to the fullest. So how do you achieve this balance? By following these 5 steps;
- Set Your Priorities – Identify what you want to accomplish and set your goals in order of importance. What needs to be accomplished first, second, etc.
- Be Conscious of Your Time – Recognize how much time you spend on things that don’t matter to you. Also, it is important to concentrate on one task at a time. When you try to multi-task it often takes more time and is less effective than finishing one major task at a time.
- Schedule at least One Hour of “YOU” Time every day – Schedule an activity or create “down time” when you can relax and enjoy yourself; have lunch with a friend, take a long walk, read a book, take a hot bath.
- Ask for Support– If you find yourself struggling talk with a supervisor, friends or family to get assistance or advise that will help you achieve your goals for work/life balance. Example-if you need time to attend parent teacher conference, talk with your Supervisor to see if you can adjust your work schedule to accommodate this task.
- Respect Yourself – Always remember that you get only one life to live and that “YOU” are the most important person. Identify what makes you happy and make it a part of your life. Your healthy attitude, body and mind are what will enable you to accomplish your work/life balance.
These 5 steps should serve as a guide that will help you focus on making better use of your time, improve your skills and make you a more rounded and interesting person. Remember you go this way once, so make the most of life. Don’t shy away from taking care of “You”. Take breaks, exercise, go on vacation, spend time with family and friends and follow your own passions.