4 Tips to Achieve a Harmonious Work-Life Balance
Work is understandably important in everyday life; it gives us a sense of purpose and direction, provides for our basic needs, and keeps us physically and mentally sharp. Working too much, however, can undo all of those benefits and create an unhealthy lifestyle. Here are four tips on how to strike and maintain a work-life balance.
Strive for a Realistic Schedule
There is no such thing as a perfect work-life schedule that you can maintain on a day-to-day basis. There are days when you’ll focus more on work and other days when you’ll have more time and energy to pursue hobbies and interests. Balance, therefore, is achieved over the long term rather than on a day-to-day basis. Acknowledging this reality puts you in a better head space to set practical goals that you can consistently hit.
Find Your True Passion
It sounds cliche and cheesy but finding a job that you genuinely enjoy doing is the key to unlocking a healthy work-life balance. Work that you’re not passionate about drains you mentally and can make it difficult for you to pursue things outside of work. That said, make sure you line up some job interviews at the very least before you quit your job. It’s impractical and financially risky to simply quit your job without a clearly defined path ahead.
Find Time for Your Health
This encompasses all aspects of health, including physical, mental, emotional, and social. A lopsided schedule between your work and personal time can result in accelerated deterioration of your health, most of the time without you even noticing it. Allocate time and energy, whether it’s early morning, midday breaks, or after-work hours, for exercising, bonding with your family, reading, attending a therapy session, or any other self-care activity.
A 2018 study by the U.S. Travel Association reveals that as much as 52% of the American workforce have unused vacation days that roll over to the following year’s vacation time. So take some time off, even if it is just to relax in your home. This can help break the rut and reset an unbalanced work-life schedule.
If you need help figuring out where or how to start, A Caring Approach can help you get started. Counseling services and life coaching can help realign your work decisions with your life ambitions.