I want to start introducing work-life balance to y’all with two known quotes:
“You will never feel truly satisfied by work until you are satisfied by life”.
and…
“Be balanced in the work so it doesn’t lead to burnout”.
Do you see the difference?
Which one feels more right?
Let’s figure it out by looking at both angles.
MY FIRST TAKE ON IT
If you have a stressful job and work long hours, it can be hard to switch off and enjoy your free time.
That is because it is always hard to switch from one thing to another as our brain needs some time to reorganize, and yet we too often plan with too short minutes between activities – making us non-concentrated at the end of the first activity because our brain is automatically starting to focus on what will come next.
This makes it hard to switch from hard work to relaxation in a second. You need some winding down time – where your only task is to halt and breathe and do nothing.
As I have stated so many times before – relaxation is key to staying healthy and happy. Our bodies and minds need time to rest, and we need time to enjoy our lives.
That means we can’t be in work mode all the time!
Let’s take a look at some basic ways to do this transition from work to free or family time.
1. Close your office door
When you close your office door, close your working mind too.
As I just stated, every change of activity takes some transition time from one task to the other. You can’t just spend time with family or friends but also think about work – be mentally present too!
This means you need to keep work out of your free time – by planning if possible, and setting healthy boundaries too.
Do you have an upcoming event or gathering to attend? Make sure to not let work stuff come your way that day!
Decided to dedicate a day to your family? Sign out of your work email or turn your work notifications off, and let them know you’ll be out of reach! You have to set those rules ahead of time and let your colleagues know about them – AND STICK TO THEM.
2. If you work at home…
If you work from home, the separation between work and free time can be more complicated and hard, not impossible.
What helps is having an “office room” at home, a room really dedicated only for doing work stuff and once you’re out that door, then it also means your work is done for the day.
Yes, don’t bring that laptop to your dining table. Enjoy your hearty meal and still follow a routine – break times are a must!
3. Have a QUIET TIME
You know a quiet time, where you just rest your mind from everything and just use that time to plan your day or reflect on things?
You might not know, but that is your TRANSITION PERIOD.
It helps you focus better if you have that quiet time to think than just quickly transitioning without thinking, right? Because taking a few minutes off just doing nothing or even doing something you enjoy quietly, gives you a little “reset” so it’s easier to refocus and restart even if it’s already in the middle of the day.
4. Move your body
Some of you might rather do physical activities than just do nothing – and it’s okay!
Taking a power walk to wind down the brain can be very beneficial. It helps you sort your thoughts – and it also helps your mind to relax and doing this with your kids can be a real winner.
This will also be very good for your health – the moving of your body with all those advantages that come health-wise.
Research also shows that exercise can reduce stress, promote a better mood, improve your overall mental health, and increase a sense of calm. Think stress management on a high level, right?
This is because during exercise levels of stress hormones, known as adrenaline and cortisol, are reduced. At the same time, the levels of endorphins in your body are increased. Endorphins are the body’s “feel good” hormones, they elevate our mood and even reduce pain!
5. Be cautious of your food intake.
After a long and tiring day at work, it is easy to just eat something quick and easy to get.
Still, it will benefit you so much more if you get something nutritious – something that will bring new good energy.
Eating quick junk foods when you’re tired doesn’t help in the long run, instead of getting you energy, they can do otherwise.
If you find it hard to do this at that moment – maybe a new routine with planning one or more days ahead is to prepare meals in advance so there is a prepared meal to just grab.
And don’t forget to drink enough water.
6. Do not forget your SLEEP.
I add it here since I see it is connected with exercise and eating – to get that good energy you need to take care of yourself – and your dear ones.
Many people, especially stressed-out business leaders brag about how little they sleep.
It is the same people who brag about an overfilled to-do list as if that is a good thing.
To me, sleep is utterly important – enough sleep. We need 7-9 hours per night. This is the time when our brain does it´s house cleaning, so to speak. It gets rid of waste products and lets new blood come in. The brain also has this intricate system of the circadian rhythm where it regulates so many of the biological processes in our body.
7. Spend time with people you love.
Our biology wants us to connect with others, with like-minded, to thrive. We are herd animals and want and need to belong.
It doesn’t mean we need a big group of people, just a few that really care about us will do. Some people have tons of connections but are really lonely at heart and that is a very stressful situation, not a balanced life even if they look successful and happy.
And when you are with your friends and loved ones – be with them. Don’t share your time with your phone or other media – be present – that is where the happiness lies.
Lots of what I have talked about already can be seen as mindfulness.
This is part of my overall stress management.
EVERYTHING ELSE
As with everything else in life it is about making good habits – and when they have become real habits we do it without thinking and our automatic actions will be good for us.
In the end, this is all about finding a good balance between work and private life. It can be challenging so take a moment and look into your own situation.
Are you still at work in your mind when you get home?
Do you feel you get enough time for yourself?
I don’t mean for us all to be ego-fixated – I mean for us all to take care of ourselves, of ourselves first, get energy and focus – and then we can do wonders in caring for others
We need to find the balance in ourselves before we can give it to others
All things I have talked about so far have been about having a balance between work and private life – and how to transition between those two in a favorable way.
The other way to interpret workplace balance is to have balance in your workday.
I´d say this is just as important.
This is stress management at its core – to help make a perfect day every day
So how do you get a balanced day?
By taking breaks – at regular intervals – stretch, breathe, mini meditate – set an alarm to remind you – at least in the beginning until it has become a habit.
Of course, you also have to take a look at your routines – are you doing work that others can do? Have you ever heard the word delegate? Having someone else do some tasks you need not be involved in…
It is also about making rules – rules for emails, rules for knocking on the door, you can create symbols you can use on your desk/door showing you are not to be disturbed – everyone in the office can use the same.
You can have rules that everyone has to have a lunch break – because that will enhance their energy, and so on….
If you want a more comprehensive guide, you may find it here.
To balancing work and life,
