Do you feel like you never have enough hours in the day or do you spend so much time working that you miss out on actually living your life? If your work-life balance has spiraled out of control, and you’re looking for ways to restore order, here are some tricks you can try.
Taking control of your work schedule
Do you get into work when it’s dark and get home when it’s even darker? If you’re spending your entire waking life at the office, it’s time to make some changes. Talk to your boss about managing your workload, and if you have a long commute, consider options like working from home a couple of days a week. With modern technology and options like remote desktop Windows 10 available, it’s easier than ever to work from any location. If you could cut out commuting, this would save you a huge amount of time, increase your productivity, and improve your wellbeing. In addition to finding more flexible working arrangements, you could also take steps to manage your time more effectively when you are at work. Keep your diary updated, liaise with colleagues to meet at times that are suitable for all parties, and prioritize tasks. If you don’t have time to tackle every job that comes your way, take steps to share the workload.
Learning to say no
Many of us are self-confessed people-pleasers. We automatically say yes to every invitation, request, or plea for help because we don’t want to let others down or we find it awkward to say no to the boss. It’s a wonderful trait to be helpful, cooperative, and generous, but if you’re running on empty, and you haven’t got enough time as it is, the last thing you need is another meeting, a business trip that eats into the weekend or an all-nighter to meet a deadline. Sometimes, you have to say no. If you can’t juggle any more balls, there’s no shame in saying no, and your boss should understand. When time is a precious commodity, you have to be selfish from time to time.
Adding downtime to your diary
If your diary consists of nothing but meetings, conferences, seminars, clinics, and training, it’s time to be more disciplined about downtime. We all need to take time out to relax, have fun, and enjoy the fruits of our labor. Make space in your schedule for hobbies, catching up with friends, seeing family and enjoying the odd day off. Once you’ve got dates in your diary, resist the temptation to cancel plans and revert to your old working patterns. There’s a lot to be said for being dedicated, but you need to focus on your mental and physical health too.
Are you struggling to find the right balance between work and play? Are you spending too much time at your desk or sitting in traffic trying to get to work every morning? If your routine is out of kilter, start taking steps to tip the balance towards life. Talk to your boss about your workload, discuss flexible working arrangements and learn to say no sometimes. Make time for socializing and hobbies, and schedule downtime to relax and unwind.
