Managing Work and Life Balance

Balancing personal and professional goals can be a challenge, but it is possible to juggle work, family and personal responsibilities without becoming overly stressed.  Time spent at work is the strongest conflict between work and life balance, perhaps because of a lack of job security, or the use of technology that blurs the boundaries between home and work. However, a balance between the two is possible. Here are some tips for managing work and life balance.

Personal relationships

A balance usually requires more life than work. Never take for granted those people who are close to you. Maintaining healthy relationships means that you will have support throughout your professional life. You may have everything you dream of five years into a career, but if work is your only focus for much longer, you may see yourself heading to the divorce courts as your partner’s resentment of your absence, perceived neglect or simple lack of time with them and the family, will tarnish any success you may have achieved in the office. Even if you are not the primary caregiver within the family, taking the children out for a few hours to a park, or to visit members of your family, will give your partner some precious alone time.

When it is your sweetheart’s birthday, your anniversary or a national holiday, make an effort with your gift-giving. You may be stuck for ideas, but there are options online including gifts for her Valentine that can help you choose a gift that shows her just how much she means to you and how grateful you are that she is supporting you in your wish to manage a work and life balance.

What do you want?

The first thing to consider when managing work and life balance is to decide what you want. List both your personal and professional goals and put them in a time plan. Within the next five years, you may want to be earning a particular annual wage or be promoted to a particular role. Consider also immediate goals such as having dinner with your family, a date night each week with your sweetheart or playing golf with friends on Sundays.

Delegate

Trusting other people in your personal and professional life makes things easier. It may be inevitable that you have to work late on occasion. At times like this, ask friends or other members of the family to take on chores that you are unable to compete. If overtime becomes the norm, things can start to get toxic. Check your productivity at work using an online time management programme that will help you optimise your time or provide evidence to your employers that you need to cut back.

Take time off

Leave all your work materials at the office, so you are not tempted to work from home. If you work remotely, set aside space in your home dedicated to work so that it is not all over the house.  Use your work’s annual leave allowance and plan an adventure with your significant other. Prioritising those you are closest too shows how much you appreciate them.

Continue your passions

At the start of a career, it is very easy to lose sight of your hobbies as the focus is on establishing your career and potentially climbing the corporate ladder. However, it is vital that you take time out for hobbies. A growing number of employers have implemented wellness programmes or gym membership as part of a benefits package. There may be yoga classes at lunchtime or massage therapists who regularly visit the workplace.