How can you achieve an outstanding work-life balance for productivity? Continue reading below to find six ways how!
Being enthusiastic about your work is great, but how do you know when you’re already overworked?
You might be thinking that continuously working makes you more productive, but studies actually show that 85% of companies worldwide offering work-life programs have an increase in productivity. This fact alludes to the reality that an excellent work-life balance is not only important for your health. It also improves your overall performance during work hours.
But how can you achieve an outstanding work-life balance for productivity? Continue reading below to find six ways how!
1. Take Time Off Work
Don’t feel guilty about turning off your work phone or when you take leave. You must take time outside of work to spend on yourself or with the people important to you.
To not fall into the pit of overthinking and taking responsibility for everything that happens in the office, you need to set clear boundaries. Let your mind clock out, too, as you step off your office building or after sending your daily reports if you’re working remotely.
Don’t feel guilty about turning off your work phone or when you take leave. You must take time outside of work to spend on yourself or with the people important to you. This way, you avoid burning out and maintain good relationships with your friends and family.
Here are some ways to take time off work:
- Avoid overtime.
- Turn off your work phone after your shift.
- Decline sudden shift changes that require you to cover for someone on short notice.
- Don’t turn your annual leave into something of monetary value. Use it instead to rest.
- Learn to say “no” when you’re in the office.
Remember that you’re only obligated to the company during your work hours, not after or before. This, however, must also be within reason.
2. Plan Ahead
One critical thing you must do to avoid long hours is to organize and plan your schedule ahead of time. Especially for the things you know take time to do, such as big projects and important contracts.
Properly scheduling the work that must be done will alleviate the stress of each segment. It will also help the team avoid mistakes brought about by pressure in finishing tasks on time. When tasks are correctly executed, time is also saved – time you can use to work on other projects or to take a breather.
An environment where deadlines do not rattle workers is also conducive to learning and teamwork. Working will be a breeze when the office’s atmosphere is great and employees are not overworked.
Here’s how you can plan:
- Organize tasks based on the most pressing or most significant. Plot timelines and jobs you can do simultaneously to save time.
- If it’s a team project, don’t haul all the responsibilities. Delegate tasks to the team members and only guide them along the way. Don’t constantly check on them as they may become overwhelmed.
- If a mistake happens, acknowledge it and move on. Don’t dwell on how things “should have been” because it has already been done, and the next best thing to do is correct the mistake and continue with your schedule.
3. Find A Great Community
To relieve yourself from prevailing thoughts of going back to work because you think you’re wasting time by trying to “relax,” it’s best if you get involved with a community you’re interested in. It will not only keep you busy, but you’ll also get to meet fascinating and like-minded people. Some of them might even be going through the same thing as you.
“Discovering a community that accepts you makes you feel like you belong,” Tania Rak, PR Manager at popular site Taimi, said. The feeling of belongingness is important since it gives a community’s members motivation and helps them manage their stress.
Here are some tips to be an active member of a community:
- Find people with the same interests. Or not. You can always reach out to other individuals even if they don’t share your particular liking. Relationships start with getting to know other people.
- Share your posts and comment on others. However, be careful not to come on too strong and always be approachable.
- Reach out to others and begin a conversation. You can even collaborate with members with the same interests.
- In cases where you might feel triggered, immediately unfollow and block. There is no use dwelling on and fighting online trolls.
4. Maintain A Healthy Lifestyle
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle will help you to manage stress better. You’ll even learn faster, have a great memory, and be more alert.
Having a healthy lifestyle is more than just tracking your diet and exercising. It’s also essential for being in tip-top condition when you work. A healthy lifestyle gives way to a clear mind and great physical capacity. When you feel great mentally and physically, it shows in your work and productivity.
Additionally, maintaining a healthy lifestyle will help you to manage stress better. You’ll even learn faster, have a great memory, and be more alert.
A healthy lifestyle includes:
- Eating a healthy diet
- Having regular exercise
- Meditating and appreciating the silence
- Quitting vices such as smoking and excessive drinking
- Managing stress
- Resting adequately
5. Get A Hobby
Another great way to get away from work demands is to pour yourself into an old hobby or discover something new. Having something to do that has nothing to do with your work will help you realize the many possibilities waiting for outside of work.
For example, if you’re an accountant and always see black and white documents and numbers, you can try painting to replace your usual view with vivid colors. Getting a hobby doesn’t mean you need to be good at it. It’s what separates us from work. When work demands you to be as accurate as possible, hobbies’ primary focus is to help you destress by making mistakes without any repercussions.
6. Work In A Field You Love
When you work a job you’re passionate about, it doesn’t feel like work. Unlike individuals who apply for positions they don’t like, people who belong in industries they care about feel more fulfilled. Even if their working hours are long and tiring, being in a rewarding job for them feels like a miracle.
A career is important in our current society, but don’t forget that you can always change careers to do something you love. If you wake up every morning dreading going to work, you are more prone to negative emotions that can escalate into anxiety and depression.
Conclusion
There is no perfect work-life balance. However, there are small things you can start doing to change your lifestyle to gradually tilt the scale and feel happier in and out of work.
Bio
Marques is a contributing writer at the world’s largest LGBTQ+ platform. He is a proud LGBTQ+ activist, as well as a researcher on human rights violations. Marques has a passion for writing about relationships and queer issues.
