Our success depends on so much more than just what we do during our working hours. Doing meaningful work means finding a work life balance between being ‘on’ and being ‘off’—a seemingly simple idea, but one that almost all of us struggle with. Here are some advice on how to find work life balance, no matter what you do.
1. Get the fundamentals right first.
One of the most difficult parts of finding work life balance is just how many pieces we’re all trying to balance. With so many balls constantly in the air, we must find balance not by focusing on doing more but by making sure the fundamentals are always taken care of. Nailing the fundamentals in life—health, security, relationships, personal development and growth, purpose—is the only way to feel balanced and see compound returns on the work you put in every day.
2. Set clear boundaries around your availability.
When it comes to creating balance in your life, it’s all about understanding where your time is going. And if you don’t schedule that time for yourself, someone (or something) will take it from you. Take control of your day and be able to find the balance you need to stay productive (and sane)! Set clear boundaries and stick to them religiously. And the best way to set those boundaries is to schedule time for yourself first.
3. Understand that you can’t do it all.
Work life balance is just about what you do each day. Sometimes it’s about making the hard choice of what you simply don’t have time to do right now. Most people would call this prioritization. But in the long-term, it’s more like life strategy.
Understand that life has tradeoffs. And while we all want to do it all, we simply can’t excel at everything at the same time. Instead, to do our best work (in all areas of life) we need to make choices. Accept that you can’t keep everything on full blast.
4. Have a downtime and space.
It’s called emptiness with a purpose. We all need that space to refuel our creative mind (as well as our physical body). Being overscheduled, actually diminishes our imaginative powers. So by trying to optimize your day to fit everything in you’re actually not spending your time as effectively as you could.
Creative ideas don’t happen when you’re stressed and going full out. If our lives are over-cluttered and over-booked, we can’t focus properly on anything. Don’t forget to make space to recharge. This could be as simple as sitting quietly and letting your mind wander. Going for a walk or a short exercise. Meeting a friend for coffee. Or meditating.
5. Deal with work in “seasons”.
We lose work life balance in trying to do everything at once. It’s hard to not feel like we have to constantly be moving forward. Part of finding balance is knowing what season you’re in and acting accordingly. Try to cycle through periods of focus and relaxation with different tasks. This way all aspects of your life get the attention they need.
Work life balance isn’t a competition between what you do from 9–5 and everything else. It’s finding balance in all aspects of your life so you can end the day/week/month/year and feel good about the progress you’ve made.
Re-blog | Source: http://rescuetime.wpengine.com/work-life-balance-tips-busy-people/
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