Work-life balance is undoubtedly a hot topic. With more of us working at home than ever, the line between our work life and home life is under more threat than before.
But happily there are simple steps that you can take to protect your work-life balance:
#1 Start Small
Just like crash diets, New Years’ resolutions and quitting cold turkey, revolutionising your work-life balance in one huge swoop is likely to fail. Instead, start small and build up over time.
If you are used to working 60 hours a week and having extremely limited free time, you will struggle to reduce your working hours immediately and still get everything done. Equally, a suddenly large amount of free time might feel intimidating - you need time to rediscover your passions outside of work.
Reduce your working hours over time
Instead of dropping from 60 hours a week to 25 hours, aim to stay at the office an hour less every week. Find simple ways to save that hour throughout the week. This might mean skipping an unstructured meeting that often achieves little. Or clamping down on your own procrastination by using a productivity tracker app. It might mean streamlining a work process to make it more time efficient.
Stick to a weekly commitment
Make a promise with yourself, your family or your friends to do something nice every week. This might be sitting down for an extended family meal at the table on a weekday. You might meet a friend every week for a catch-up. Or try a morning exercise class once a week before you go to work.
It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as it is something you enjoy and you stick to it.
Remember why you are doing it
As you make these small changes to reclaim your own time, pause to remember why you are choosing to prioritise your work-life balance. Take a step back and enjoy what you have already gained.
#2 Seek Ease
Given that it can be difficult to make changes at work that will give you more time, look at the other parts of your life too.
Outsource and delegate tasks that you don’t enjoy but are essential. Using your money to buy time might seem like an odd trade-off, but what could be more valuable than our time?
Invest in labour-saving machines or hire some help for around the house. Delegate meal preparation. Share out the household chores.
Delegate work that doesn’t specifically fall under your remit to a colleague. And don’t feel guilty about it! Your mundane task could be someone else’s opportunity to learn and grow.
Automate processes that don’t need to take up your time. Setting up auto-filtering for your emails is a real time-saver!
Use the time you have reclaimed to do things you enjoy and be with people you love.
#3 Unplug
Technology has encouraged the workplace to enter our homes and it can be hard to redraw the boundary. Whether you work from home or have a workplace to go to, it is important to protect your home life.
Unplug from your workplace technology and store your work things out of sight if you work from home.
Delete your email app from your phone so you won’t be tempted to check your work emails at the weekend. You are not being paid to check your emails at the weekend!
Do things you enjoy which are the exact opposite of your work life. Get out, breathe the fresh air, stand, walk, socialise, exercise, be spontaneous. Enjoy the freedom of your out-of-work hours.
#4 Cut Out Time-Wasting (and Time-Wasters)
Decide where you will invest your quality time and who you will spend it with. What is adding quality and joy to your life and what is draining your time?
Is the communal moan around the company kettle really adding to your life? Excuse yourself politely.
Do you get easily lost in a vicious cycle of social media scrolling? Set a lock-out timer on social media apps and blacklist addictive sites.
Attending social events which you feel obliged to go to but don’t enjoy? Stop investing your time and energy maintaining relationships with people that don’t bring you joy and focus on your positive relationships.
This is not you being selfish. This is you prioritising your own health and happiness and the relationships that really matter to you.
#5 Speak Out
This step can be the hardest, but can also bring the greatest rewards.
If you are struggling from stress and overwork, speak to your boss or supervisor. They may be able to help. Equally, if you suffer from mental or physical illness your employer has a duty of care to offer you reasonable adjustments, which might include changes to your working hours.
Most importantly, don’t suffer alone. If you feel your work-life balance is non-existent, others at your work are likely to feel the same. Speak to them. Building positive workplace relationships and sharing our feelings have huge benefits for our mood and health.
