How to Work towards a More Balanced Life
Happy Tuesday!
I haven’t gone back to work since my transplant yet. But I used to be self-employed – and worked from home. There were a lot of benefits to controlling my working hours and even how much work I did. But one major challenge of working from home was the work-life balance—there typically wasn’t any! You find yourself working really late or running errands during your work time.
Creating a work-life balance can be tough. It’s hard to find the delicate balance between a happy work life and happy home life. There are a few things that you can do both at work and at home to create a balanced life.
As an important topic, it’s been covered by groups like Mental Health America, WebMD, Forbes, and Business News Daily. These groups have provided advice which has been combined here into five tips to help us create more balanced lives both at home and at work.
- Create a Routine
At work, an important part of your daily routine should be the creation of a list of tasks based on priority. Prioritizing allows you to get the most important things done, and using a checklist allows you to see what you’ve achieved. A daily routine will make you less stressed about the day.
Routines are great for home as well. They let everyone know what’s going on and when. However, sometimes you need downtime too; remember to allow yourself and your family time to relax. You can even put it on the calendar.
- Telecommute
If you can, telecommute to work especially on days where you’re sick, your children’re sick, or the commute will be extra-long due to weather or outside circumstances. Telecommuting is a great way to provide your employer with what they need while giving you some breathing room.
- Learn to Say No
Many of us think we can’t say no at work. This results in taking on too many tasks, working overtime, and being stressed about not being able to get everything done. If there’s a job that you know you won’t be able to get done or that you aren’t suited for, say no. You may be surprised at how well this is received by your employer.
It’s important to learn how to say no to social events and home life events that could be too taxing as well. Cutting these out will help you to find more balance.
- Learn Your Employer’s Policies
Learning the leave, vacation, sick, and disability policies of your employer is paramount. Also, you should learn about the telecommute arrangements your company has in place. If there aren’t any, you may need to ask. This will alleviate any stress if you need to use vacation or sick days or if you need to telecommute.
If you have children, learn their school’s policies too. Understanding the procedures for sick notes, daily absences, or tardies is going to save a lot of headaches for both you and them!
- Communicate
Keep your employer updated about where you are on individual projects and if you’re going to be on time, ahead of deadline, or behind schedule. Communicating these vital elements to your employer will lower stress on the job.
At home, communication is essential. This is even more so if there is a spouse and kids. Establish a family meeting once a week to discuss upcoming events, stressors, things that need planning, and other elements of life. This will aid in finding that balance between work and home.
These five steps will help create some balance in our busy lives. What are some ways that you have found a balance between work and home that weren’t on our list?
Loving Life—The Reboot!
Dominique