ART OF BALANCING WORK-PERSONAL LIFE
It seems everyone is having a hard time balancing their work life with their personal life nowadays. Between layoffs, falling companies and demanding bosses, everyone seems to be growing more stressed and working longer hours. This hurts the worst when you are a working woman. Trying to juggle home, work, friends, achievements, personal time etc can definitely take a toll and make you feel pulled in all sorts of directions. Its human nature to do things that give you most reward and stop doing the things that drains you out emotionally and physically too. The idea of balance means that all our activities must get equivalent time and attention to be perfect. Though its challenging and there is no single model or approach that’s right for everyone. Take control of your life with single tips.
RELAXATION
Make your holidays and weekends memorable. Make it a point to enjoy your family time. Prepare good food one weekend, invite friends, go out for long drive, go for movies. Catch up with your hobbies that will help you unwind. Enroll once in a week for meditation session. Pamper yourself with relaxing spa. Don’t feel guilty to spend time on yourself because the more mind is relaxed the more brain works productively giving satisfied results. Connecting to nature is the best way to relax and soothe all your tense senses. A date night with your spouse or softball game with friends will give extra incentive to your personal happiness. Even during hectic day, you can take 10 or 15 minutes to do something that will recharge your batteries. Take a bath, read a trashy novel, go for walk, or listen to music. You have to make a little time for things that ignite your joy.
TALK TO YOUR FAMILY
Remember your work in office and effort and energy you spent in office shouldn’t become a punishment for your family. When you leave office make sure to wipe your mind. It is not a easy task initially but over the period of time you will get used to it. Here are five things we suggest trying for starters.
Come in relaxed because even children pick up on moods and will sense your unhappiness with family routines.
Come in and eat with your children. It can be one of the most enjoyable parts of your family routine.
Do something together. It doesn’t have to be anything special or take very long. Even small things do make big differences.
Enjoy bedtime routine.
Make one night your special night. Your family will love to know that there’s one night when everything stops just for them.
SCHEDULE YOUR TIME
Very often we get so engrossed in our daily routines that we forget to simply enjoy doing things that de-stress us. The idea is to be in control over your work hours and spend quality time with your family. If task is too important to be completed the same day, then send a note home that you will be late. Sending a note early will keep them updated without creating hassle. Schedule your time to fit the actual number of hours in a week. So if you need six hours of sleep and two hours of downtime per day, that means you only have 98 hours per week.
REARRANGE YOUR ERRANDS
When you wake up in the morning prepare a list of tasks you used to complete for day both professional and personal. Think before you commit. Your time is limited and you can’t do everything. Take a stock of activities that don’t enhance your career or personal life and minimize the time you spend on them. Could you order your groceries online and have them delivered? Have your dry cleaning picked up and dropped off at your home? Even if you are on a tight budget, you may discover that the time you will save will make it worth it. If you like to cook, you could prepare and freeze a couple of meals.
EXERCISE
Make a list of activities that give you energy and strength. Make these a priority in your life. Staying fit will increase your energy levels and concentration levels which in turn will allow you to perform your task better. According to recent study, employees who exercise at least thirty minutes, three times a week, were fifteen percent more likely to have higher job performance. In minds of many, putting exercise first is a selfish action. But you could say same thing about putting work or other activities first. Yet exercise is not necessity and a toned body, it won’t make you better partner, parent or worker. Exercise is like investing because your health is as important as your career. Practically for many people is little time left after handling family and work. So nowadays many companies are ever helping their employees be proactive with their health by offering exercise facilities and corporate wellness on the job site. Infact, a recent study concluded there is direct correlation between physical activities of mother and children. That is the less physically active mother is, the more likely her child will be sedentary early in life. Exercise need not be at expense of family or friends. Families can exercise together and find group activities that enhance their relationship.
LIMIT USAGE OF SMART PHONES
The ways we use our mobile phones and e-mails affects our living and working environment. An average person spends almost four to five hours of their cell phones either chatting, surfing, playing games, online shopping. These become habits which enslave and constrain, rather than liberate and enables you. It would surely make a difference if you limit your time spent on cell phones and instead use time for doing something more constructive. A single change to make with e-mails is open them and deal with them at set time. A simple change for mobile phones is to switch them off when you want some time for yourself. Technology is a good servant, but a bad master.
However, life balance and happiness can be managed and attained, if we know the components including our true self and the causes of our own well-being.
