Creating a healthy work-life balance begins with prioritizing and making your needs away from work just as important—if not more—than your job. For starters, stick with strict work hours, allow for personal time, and don’t neglect your physical health. Read on to learn more about how you can accomplish this.
Priorities
There are few areas in our lives where prioritizing isn’t necessary. Successful work-life balance begins with getting our priorities in order.
When feeling overwhelmed, spend an evening with a notebook and a pen, jotting down everything that you need to complete on a daily, monthly, and even yearly basis. Also include things you don’t have to get done but want to.
Number these items in order of priority. Be honest with yourself—don’t make training for a marathon last because you think it’s selfish. Your health needs matter as much as anything else on the list.
Next, create a schedule to give you an idea of what you can realistically squeeze into your current lifestyle. Make any necessary changes by moving things around or scratching something off the list that isn’t important anymore. Sometimes what mattered two years ago is no longer relevant in your life. Seeing everything on paper will help with your decisions.
Personal Time
All work and no play isn’t healthy and can put you at risk for lower productivity in every area of your life. Can you say,“burnout?”
Personal time means different things to different people. Keep in mind, your life doesn’t have to revolve around keeping up with the Jones’. Maybe it’s reading an hour a day, meditation, or time with friends. Make personal time personal.
If your focus is dating while maintaining a successful career, be aware of how work impacts your romantic life. The same goes for married couples—continue to make dating a priority with your spouse and don’t allow work to supersede it.
For some, alone time is needed to recharge. If so, whatever that may look like to you, take the time. Every other area of your life, including work, will be better when you give yourself the gift of personal time.
Be Strict About Working Hours
Business can wait. It really can. As such, set a necessary work schedule and stick to it. Prioritize your workday so you complete important tasks early and you don’t feel tempted to work past those hours.
Let clients know upfront that you aren’t available after a certain time. They will respect your concern for life outside of work. Phone calls, emails, and scheduling appointments can be picked back up again the next day where you left off—your well-being cannot.
Stay Fit
Staying fit is a broad term that covers nutrition and exercise. Your job, family, friends, and yourself need you to be healthy.
If work needs to start an hour later or lunch gets stretched a bit longer because it’s the only way to squeeze your walk in for the day, then so be it. When creating a healthy work-life balance, none of it will matter if you aren’t physically healthy enough to enjoy it.
It’s not easy finding the perfect work-life balance. However, by focusing on your personal life as much as work, you’ll be able to feel happier and more satisfied in your career, your relationships, and your health. Prioritize and schedule, and make sure you are including the things that bring you peace, joy, and comfort.
Van Rundell is a writer and author who specializes in transportation, travel, guidance, health & fitness. With over 10 years of experience in the industry as a driver and an entrepreneur, he has seen it all. His tone is professional but friendly with a dash of humor thrown in for good measure. In past, he has been advising, educating and writing about transport for the public and professionals alike.
A qualified fitness instructor with over 5 years’ experience as a personal trainer and group fitness instructor, Van brings his deep knowledge of health and exercise science to his articles on health & fitness.
