Finding Your Own Best Work-Life Balance
As the end of the work week draws near, today we’re continuing our theme of the week, Balance, by exploring even more approaches to establishing and maintaining the right work-life balance for you. Just as each person has their own unique set of professional strengths, an approach to achieving equilibrium that works for your colleagues may not be the best plan for you. And that’s okay! That’s also why we’re happy to offer up a variety of thoughts on how to tackle the important task of finding a sense of balance, allowing you to be your best self at work while also enabling you to truly enjoy your free time without feeling stressed out about work. Check out what the pros below have to say about establishing your unique work-life balance!
Marisa Sanfilippo at Business News Daily offers up a phenomenal suggestion to help keep you going in your quest for your individual best work-life balance: “Accept that there is no ‘perfect’ work-life balance. When you hear ‘work-life balance,’ you probably imagine having an extremely productive day at work, and leaving early to spend the other half of the day with friends and family. While this may seem ideal, it is not always possible. Don’t strive for the perfect schedule; strive for a realistic one. Some days, you might focus more on work, while other days you might have more time and energy to pursue your hobbies or spend time with your loved ones. Balance is achieved over time, not each day.” Remember that practice makes perfect! Practicing positivity and gratitude along the way will also help you make the most of the opportunities to be found in any challenges you encounter at work; this will let you feel less stress in the moment, which will then allow you to more easily de-stress completely after work. While “perfect” may make a good goal to strive towards, keep in mind that it’s an ideal rather than a realistic reality. Nobody’s perfect! Accepting that will also enable you to establish a realistic work-life balance that’s best for you rather than striving for perfection.
We also love these scientifically backed suggestions from the Mayo Clinic staff that you can utilize when considering the “life” portion of your work-life balance equation: “Caring for yourself. A healthy lifestyle is essential to coping with stress and to achieving work-life balance. Eat well, include physical activity in your daily routine and get enough sleep. In addition, aim to: Relax. Regularly set aside time for activities that you enjoy, such as practicing yoga, gardening or reading. Hobbies can help you relax, take your mind off of work and recharge. Better yet, discover activities you can do with your partner, family or friends — such as hiking, dancing or taking cooking classes.” In addition to eating well, we’d like to add one of our favorite reminders: stay hydrated! Make sure you’re keeping yourself fueled with water in addition to intaking those healthy calories. If you’re looking for ways to unwind, amidst the changes our current unprecedented circumstances have brought is an increase in online activities. For example, you can now take cooking classes from the comfort of your very own kitchen and dance classes in your bedroom! These increased opportunities for relaxing also cut down on stressful commutes. Make sure that along the way, you’re including your friends, family, and coworkers in your fun activities whenever possible for the added bonus of strengthening your sense of community in the workplace and beyond.
Remember that there is no “perfect” work-life balance–only the work-life balance that’s right for you! And even over time, what constitutes your “best” work-life balance may change. Go into establishing and maintaining your personal work-life balance with an open and flexible mind. Getting into the right mindset will help you along the way as you practice establishing equilibrium. Know that it might take time to find your unique work-life balance. And that’s okay! Practice self-care as you take steps on your journey towards your personal balance, and take a holistic approach to doing so by considering the ways both your mind and body factor into the equation. And make sure you’re taking time out to have fun along the way! Join us again tomorrow as we finish out the week with our Feel Good Friday: Balance edition.
Image retrieved from Pixabay under the public domain.
This posting is brought to you by Contemporaries Inc., one of the best temp agencies in Boston MA. Also available for payrolling employees in Boston and Greater Boston
Recent Posts
Feel Good Friday: Return
Happy Friday! Think of “return” not just as turning back but a way to move forward--another “turn” in the game of life and thus another opportunity to forge new paths as you proceed. Take all of the experiences you’ve had during these uncertain times and use them to...
What To Do When Planning to Go Back
With the summer in sight, your return to your workplace is likely approaching. This may feel like an abrupt shift, especially after you’ve established new routines that have helped you succeed while working remotely--which is why today we’re focusing on what you can...
Wednesday Wellness: Return
As we move closer to summer, let the return of this sunny season inspire your return to work. Find joy in returning to your regular workplace rhythms while applying the new lessons you’ve learned in adapting to the unprecedented circumstances you’ve experienced. It’s...
Making Your Return to Work Easy
We know that if you’ve been working remotely, or if you’ve been unemployed during these uncertain times, the prospect of returning to an in-person professional environment might seem overwhelming. But don’t panic! We’ve got ways to help you ease into that transition....
Monday Mood Booster: Return
Welcome back! While it’s important to live in the present and be mindful in completing your work, it’s also necessary to think about the future. There will come a time when you’ll need to get back into the normal swing of things; take a moment now to start...
To the Class of 2021: Congratulations and Welcome!
You’ve spent the last several years working hard on your education, taking steps towards your degree, and finally earning the title of “Graduate.” Congratulations! What you’ve just done is a huge accomplishment. You should be enormously proud of yourself and all of...
Monday Mood Booster: Guidance
Welcome back! We hope you had a wonderful weekend with plenty of chances to connect with those in your life to whom you turn for guidance. This week, we’ll be focusing on just that: guidance. A helping hand can come from both sources familiar and those you might not...
Resilient In The Workplace And Beyond
Today’s examination of ways to expand on your resiliency takes a holistic approach, considering ways both in and out of the workplace to create a more resilient you. You don’t have to tackle that task alone--and shouldn’t be! Know that within your workplace, you have...
Wednesday Wellness: Resilience
As you practice building up your workplace resilience using the skills we’ve shared, remember that your knowledge and capabilities are growing with every step along the way. While these unprecedented circumstances may feel overwhelming, each and every day you’re...
Monday Mood Booster: Resilience
Welcome back! As we kick off the first full week of May, we’ll be focusing on resilience. Just as flowers survive the cold of winter to bloom again each spring, you have the strength to pull through even the most difficult of times. Let these warmer days reinvigorate...
Feel Good Friday: Community
Congratulations--you’ve successfully made it to the end of another week! And we know that even if it doesn’t feel like it, each day you’ve made a difference in your communities. All of the contributions big and small that you make in your workplace add up to important...
Creating Workplace Community Virtually
Amidst this week’s focus on community, we know that it can feel isolating to work from home, with your teammates located far from you. Today we’re looking at ways to establish a sense of connection with your colleagues and employers while completing your work...
Wednesday Wellness: Community
Welcome back to Wednesday Wellness! Whether already you realize it or not, you are a powerful force for change within your communities. Your presence impacts the lives of others. Though simply being there may not feel like doing much, remember that being an active...
Creating A Better Workplace Community
Our focus this week is on creating a better community, in both your workplace and beyond. While creating change in the world at large is an important task to tackle, today we’re turning inward for our first steps towards creating a better workplace community. Since...