Balancing work with the rest of your life is not always easy. You need to make a living, but you also want to enjoy life.
Here are some tips to help you keep work and life in check:
- Record What You Do Each Week
Record everything you do in a week, both work-related and non-work-related, including how much time you spend doing it. Remove activities you don't enjoy and don't have time for and add activities you would enjoy doing more often.
- Don't Skip Alone Time
Would you skip work, an important meeting, a parent-teacher conference or a medical appointment? Most likely not. The same rules apply for alone time. Set aside time that is just for you. No phone messages, no emails, no distractions from you time!
- Plan for Fun and Relaxation
Set aside time each day for a fun or relaxing activity. You’ll be surprised at how refreshed you’ll feel once you give yourself up to music or dance lessons, a yoga class, or a night out with family and/or friends.
- Exercise Make time to do exercise
This can be as complex as running a marathon to an activity as easy as today sit-ups and pushups before bed.
- Learn to Say No Saying "no" once in awhile is okay
Remember, doing things out of guilt or a false sense of obligation takes you away from activities that you enjoy.
- Leave Work at Work
Separate work time from personal time. When you are with your family or friends or during your alone time, turn off your cell phone and computer. Free yourself from distractions in order to enjoy the moment.
- Manage Your Time
Set up a calendar with a list of deadlines clearly labeled. Then plan how much work you need to do so the tasks are done on time, but won't take up all your personal time. Do yourself a favor and schedule fun activities too.
- Protect Your Days Off
Don't leave all your house chores, cleaning and errands for your days off work. Accomplish some of those tasks during the week so you have time to sit and relax on weekends.
- Get Enough Sleep
Sacrificing sleep for work is not a good idea. When you are sleep deprived, your productivity level drops, not to mention the bad mood that comes with it. Make rest a priority along with work and fun.