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.
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