Do you feel drained and exhausted by the end of the day? Are you always too busy to spend time with your family? Is your personal life getting out of your hands? Does a night out with friends seem like a distant memory to you? If yes, then it’s probably because you are letting your job weigh you down. Don’t, worry you’re not the only one in this position. According to research, employees of today’s generation are way more burnt out and overworked than their predecessors. A majority of people spend more than half of their waking hours at work. This means that on an average an employee spends more time with his co-workers than his family.
The cut throat competition within the corporate world has led to an increase in the workload for companies the burden of which is borne by the employees who work for these companies. Therefore, it’s not surprising to see employees these days struggling to maintain a healthy work-life balance. This has taken a toll on not only their work performance but their physical and mental health as well. Because of the excessive workload and office related issues, the personal life of employees gets badly affected. In fact studies have shown that overworking is one of the leading causes of divorces in many parts of the world.
If you think that your work is getting in the way of your personal life, then stop it before it completely consumes you. Maintaining a healthy work-life balance isn’t easy, but it’s not unattainable either. Here are some effective tips that can help you in striking that balance:
- Manage your time effectively
One of the main reasons for an unbalanced lifestyle is poor time management. If you want your work life to be organized it’s important to learn how to manage your time properly. If effective time management is something that eludes you, don’t worry, anyone can master the art of time management. All it takes is a little effort and some discipline. Start off by making a time table for your day. You can also starting making lists of tasks that need to be achieved and prioritize those tasks according to their importance. If you have allotted a specific time to certain tasks, setting up a timer can also help. The key here is to stick by your time table. Once you do it a couple of times, it’ll become a habit.
2. Make time for yourself
You’d be surprised to see how a little me-time can do wonders for you. Even it’s just 10 minutes of your day. Everyday just take some out for yourself when you can completely unwind-A time that is only dedicated to you. How you spend that time depends on you. What matters is that during this time you do what relaxes you the most. It may be a quick meditation, a warm bath, watching a movie, listening to songs or even playing a video game. Having a little time for your self will clear your head, reduce stress and will be over all great for your mental health.
3. Don’t overburden yourself
A lot of people think that by taking too much work at a time they will achieve their goals better. On the contrary, it makes achieving targets more difficult and also lowers your engagement and productivity. Go easy on yourself and set realistic expectations of yourself. Evaluate your strengths and weaknesses and work according to that. Do not set out targets that you know you cannot achieve.
4. Walk away from toxic people and situations
Not all workplace stress is because of extra workload. Negative workplace culture, toxic co-workers, rude managers are also contributing factors of stress and anxiety. Since you spend so much of your time with your co-workers, their actions are bound to affect you. However, it’s important to set boundaries and walk away from toxic people. If you feel that your workplace toxicity is getting under your skin, try to resolve it. If not, then it’s better to walk away.
5. Eat well and exercise
You are what you eat. If you eat unhealthy, then don’t be surprised to find yourself feeling sluggish and sick more often. Healthy food and loads of water is very important to keep your body active and your mind alert. Add exercise and physical activity to that and you will feel happier, healthier and more focused. Every day, take some time out for any sort of physical activity. Physical exercise is also a great way to de-stress and take that extra load off your shoulders.
6. Take regular breaks
Whether you’re working in an office or you’re working from home, it’s very important to take regular small breaks from your work. Just put your papers away for a while and rest your head on your table if you have to, but just take a small break. If your office policies have little or no breaks, there are plenty of ways you can take a break while sitting on desk as well. Just get up from your chair stretch a little or go out for fresh air. Taking small breaks between your tasks is a great way to clear your head.
7. Learn from your mistakes but don’t dwell on them
We all make mistakes. It’s a natural human phenomenon. No one is perfect so don’t run after perfectionism and accept that you can also make mistakes. However, the most important thing to remember is to learn from those mistakes. Dwelling on your mistakes will lower your morale and will stop you from rectifying yourself. Also it will only add to your stress. Instead, identify the cause and work on it.
8. Prioritize your life
You may think that you have priorities straight. But think about it, have you really prioritized your life? Make a list of what is important to you and what is not. Yes, it’s great to go out with your friends and take off some stress. But, overdoing that that will increase your stress rather than decreasing it. Learn to give time to things that are important to you. Spend quality time with your family, but don’t neglect work and vice versa.
Your job may be important, but it’s not as important as your mental health. Also, is your job really worth losing your loved ones and ruin the only life that you have? Remember, the key to successful life is maintaining a balance. Once you master the art maintaining a balance between your work life and your personal life, you will feel more fulfilled and happier.
