How to maintain work-life balance

Work often takes priority over everything else in our lives. Our desire to succeed professionally in such competitive environment force us to set aside our own well-being and other needs. Creating a tuneful work-life balance or work-life integration is often difficult to maintain, but it is important to maintain a healthy work life balance to improve not only our physical, emotional and mental well-being, but it's also necessary for maintaining a good career.

WHAT IS WORK-LIFE BALANCE?

Work-life balance is simply defined as a state of equilibrium where an individual maintains an equal prioritization to one’s career and to one’s personal life and personal well-being. 

Some reasons responsible for poor work-life balance are:

• Increased burden and responsibilities at work
• Longer working hours
• Elevated responsibilities at home
• Having family and children 

A healthy work-life balance has numerous positive effects which includes reduced stress, lower risk of burnout and a better sense of well-being. 

WHY WORK-LIFE BALANCE IS IMPORTANT?

Maintaining a good work-life balance is not only necessary for your good health and relationships but it is also important to improve your productivity and ultimate performance.

• When you maintain a healthy work-life balance, it ensures your health wellness which reduces the risk of getting health related problems 
• When you maintain a good work-life balance, then it increases your engagement level.
• Stress is often unavoidable but workplace stresses can be ignored. By maintaining a good work-life balance you can reduce burnouts.
• When we sustain a healthy work-life balance, then we have better focus and concentration on a task which is called as mindfulness.

TIPS FOR MAINTAINING WORK-LIFE BALANCE:

1. Do what you love:

Although work has some limited norms but your career shouldn’t be restraining. If you don’t love what you do, you are not going to be happy doing it. You don't need to love every part of your job, but it needs to be exciting enough that you don't feel awful getting up every morning. Do a job that you are passionate about so much that you would even do it for free. If your job is draining you out that you find it difficult to do the things that you love other than work, then remember that something is wrong you need to pay attention to.

2. Keep your health at utmost priority:

Your overall physical, emotional and mental health should be your only concern. If you struggle with anxiety or depression and think therapy would help you, then make time for  those sessions from your schedule, even if you need to leave from work early or need you down to evening plans. If you are suffering from a chronic illness for long then don't be afraid to take a sick leave on harsh work days. Overworking prevents you from getting better soon causing you to take more days off from work in the future. Keep your health first and foremost because it will not only make you a better employee but also a better person.

3. Go on short vacation:

Taking some time off and shutting down work completely and going on vacations with your family or loved ones will improve your work-life balance. We need to understand that vacations aren’t luxury, they are a necessity to stay healthy personally and work wise. Some time off from work provide you the chance to switch off from responsibilities and enjoy yourself. It is also a wonderful opportunity to recharge yourself. It also helps in improving your productivity and focus when you get back to office after a break.

4. Make time for your personal life:

It is not always that we make our work life our personal life. We need to keep separate both the lives and give importance according to demand to stay healthy and happy. Work is important but it should not be your entire life. You should learn to prioritize the activities or hobbies that makes you happy. Just because work requires more attending which keeps you busy doesn't mean that you should avoid personal relationships. 

5. Set boundaries:

Set boundaries for yourself and your your to avoid burnout. When you leave out of office avoid thinking about your work day or upcoming work projects or answering company emails or calls. Try having a separate computer or phone for work, so you can shut it off when you have time out. If that too is not possible, then use separate browsers, emails or filters for your work to keep your work and personal platforms separate 

6. Have some time for social life:

As work and personal life is important, social life is also important for a healthy balanced mind. Schedule recurring social activities, like a monthly hangout with friends or weekly dinner with your gang. By having regular social activities like this mentioned into your schedule, you will be able to plan around them and would have a better work life balance.

If hope these tips helped you in maintaining a better work-life balance.

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