Successfully Creating a Work Life Balance

Successfully Creating a Work/Life Balance

Loving what you do for a living is great. When you have a passion for your career, and you're driven to move to the next level, your life is filled with purpose. But whether all work and no play makes you dull or not, it can have a negative impact on your health, as well as your productivity. In fact, too much stress without a rest can lead to burnout .

But how do you find that work/life balance everyone talks about? The following steps can help you get started, but you'll need to apply some discipline to make the changes you need.

Decide What to Cut

Before you can squeeze extra activities into your schedule, you'll first need to free up some time. Work on streamlining your daily activities so that the "work" part of your schedule consumes less. Confine responding to email to a short period of the day and complete your work in sprints , checking numerous small items off your to-do list in a short time period.

Force Yourself to Unplug

Our devices tend to imprison us at times, keeping us from enjoying nights and weekends with our loved ones. When you arrive home for the day, set your phone on the charger and spend time with your family. If you can, plan a vacation where you resist spending any time on electronic devices. The break will have you returning to the office refreshed and ready to tackle daily challenges.

Schedule Personal Time

When you look at your calendar, how many personal tasks are blocked out each day? Set a goal to make personal appointments a growing part of your day. Don't just set time aside for lunches with friends and salon services. Also block out time each day for self-care tasks like taking a bath or reading a good book.

Make It a Habit

Science can't seem to agree on how many days it takes to form a new habit, mostly because it can vary from one person to the next. But one thing is clear: the more you stick with it, the more likely you'll be to find the balance you need to stay healthy.

Don't feel pressured to find the perfect work/life balance. The goal is simply to make more time to do the things you enjoy doing. When you can blend some alone time or precious hours with loved ones into your busy workweek, you benefit, as does your work. Over time, you'll find you're a happier, more productive professional.