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Tips For Achieving The Perfect Work-Life Balance

Published : Thu, Dec 15, 2022 5:00 PM GMT

As the new year approaches, now is a good time to think about work life balance for 2023. How much time do you spend working? Let’s be honest — the answer is probably way more than you’d like, given the fact that we only have so many hours in a day and other things we’d rather be doing, like spending time with friends and family or pursuing hobbies and interests. If you want to achieve the perfect work-life balance — that magical point where you’re working just enough but not too much — there are some things you can do to get there faster. Check out these 10 tips below!

1) Time management

It may sound cliche, but you only have so much time each day to accomplish your goals and duties. So it’s important to be able to manage that time effectively—to work hard, but not burn yourself out in pursuit of a goal. Here are 10 tips for doing just that: 1. Figure out what you really want We often don’t take time for reflection. One reason is because it takes up precious time! But without a moment to think about what we really want, it’s impossible to find balance or prioritize our values or goals over other tasks. Figuring out what we value—and how much (time spent watching TV doesn’t count)—can help us make better decisions about how we spend our limited free time 2.

2) Minimize distractions

In general, distractions can lower our productivity by about 25%. Some of these disruptions are more obvious, like phone calls and chat messages. Others, such as unnecessary meetings and emails from co-workers can eat away at your time without you even realizing it. There are a number of ways to minimize distractions during work hours. Here are just a few

3) Check your phone less often

If you’re not careful, your phone can become a constant source of stress. Between social media notifications and text messages from colleagues and friends, it can be hard to even take a breather. If you want to achieve your perfect work-life balance, I recommend checking your phone less often. Set timers on your apps that limit how long you spend on them (I like SelfControl). You may find it helpful to schedule times when you’ll allow yourself to use these apps so that they don’t detract from productivity or cause distractions.

4) Spend more time with family

Family time is one of those things that tends to fall by the wayside as we get older and busier. Between work, social commitments, kids’ activities, and other responsibilities, it can be hard to carve out time with family—especially when you’re busy or stressed at work. So consider taking a tip from Arianna Huffington, who advises that every Sunday you spend 60 minutes doing something completely different from your job: no checking email or logging on to social media.

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In fact, don’t even think about work! It may seem like an eternity when you first begin stepping away from your computer screen on Sundays, but soon enough it will feel like second nature (and give everyone in your family a well-deserved break).

5) Spend less time commuting

Commuting is a regular feature of many people’s lives, but you can avoid spending too much time getting to and from work by figuring out how to drive less. If your current schedule is keeping you on edge because you don’t have enough time for everything you need to do, try switching up your routine. Have a coworker or family member pick up your kids from school? Or perhaps a neighbor could take them to soccer practice once in awhile? Spending less time commuting will help get rid of some stress and make it easier for you to accomplish other tasks.

6) Prioritize your to do list

If you find that you have a million things to do, but not enough time in your day to do them all, there’s only one thing to do: prioritize. Of course, some items are going to be more important than others; but after making sure you’ve checked off your most pressing tasks (meetings, emails, etc.), take a look at your list and make sure everything has an order of importance. Items that don’t need to be done today should be put towards the bottom of your list – unless they are linked to something on that day's agenda. Those less pressing projects can then move up onto tomorrow's list so you can tackle them when there’s a little more free time available.

7) Prioritize your goals

When you’re trying to juggle multiple goals and responsibilities, prioritizing your to-do list can help you stay focused. When setting your priorities, consider what is most important in all areas of your life. At work, should creating a budget or reviewing financial statements be your first priority? What about at home: Should you wash clothes or pay bills first? Once you determine which tasks are most important, schedule them for when you have more time and energy. These activities should have priority over less essential ones. You might even create a checklist that reminds you to tackle these top priorities before completing other tasks.

8) Say no when needed

It can be incredibly tempting to agree to every request that comes your way, but you need to learn how to say no when it’s needed. Saying yes all of the time will eat away at your productivity and potentially damage your career prospects, so prioritize yourself and make sure that work doesn’t take over every aspect of your life. Everyone has a set amount of hours in a day; use them wisely. It’s perfectly okay if you have to turn down an opportunity here or there—you deserve some me time too!

9) Identify when you’re stressed out

Sometimes, we're so focused on getting things done that we don't realize how stressed out we are. If you feel your stress levels creeping up and you're feeling more irritable than usual, take a moment to step back.

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When's the last time you took a vacation? How much sleep are you getting at night? Do you remember to eat healthy meals when you’re working so hard? These questions may seem like they have nothing to do with work, but they can help reduce stress in our lives. Once you identify what is causing your stress, try scheduling some time for yourself or consider adjusting your workload.

10) Make time for yourself

It’s important to take time for yourself. Whether it’s to exercise, do something you enjoy, or just take a long lunch break—you need time to recharge and reflect on your life goals. Without taking time for yourself, your work could suffer. There’s always going to be a lot of demands on your time at work, but that doesn’t mean you should neglect yourself in favor of work. It takes discipline and effort to stay balanced between work and personal life but it can be done! You might even find that becoming more balanced makes you better at both facets of your life.