It can be hard to find the right balance between a career and personal life for the modern professional. Technology has been both a great asset for improved communication and flexibility in the workplace. It has also made it harder to disconnect from work because it makes workers accessible around the clock. Being a workaholic is a common trend now. Fear of job loss and high expectations has led to longer hours. In fact, 85.8% of males and 66.5% of females work more than 40 hours a week in the U.S. Longer hours and not enough personal time has led to increased stress, health problems, and less productivity at work.

It can be hard to find the right work-life balance. You can’t control everything in your life but it’s important to be conscious in trying to find a balance. Here are some tips to help you do just that:

Disconnect yourself from emails or other notifications that you may get from work. It’s so easy to get in the habit of responding to work emails from home or when you are off the clock. When you are off the clock, BE off the clock. In fact, when you are home or out enjoying an activity, shut off your phone and just enjoy the moment you are living. This can help clear your mind and push work out. It will take time to break the habit but be patient with yourself and you will feel a greater sense of control in your life when you are just enjoying the moments in your personal life.

When we are busy, it’s easy to sacrifice exercise. This is a mistake because exercise is such an effective stress reducer and it pumps you up with endorphins. If you find yourself in a chronic state of bad mood, try making time for exercise. It helps you disconnect from work and just focus on you in a way that nothing else can. It can bring a balance to your life because often we focus so much on developing our career but little to no focus on our bodies and treating them well.

“Treat yo self”. Take time to take care of yourself. Whether it’s a vacation or a spa day, find some time to recharge your batteries. Develop a hobby. Find something you are passionate about outside of work and take time to develop it. You may find yourself more accomplished when spending time on a passion. Take a much-needed nap or go see a movie. Anything that is self-care is important to achieving a work-life balance.

Whether it’s your family or significant others in your life, make time for them. If you haven’t been able to be there for dinner during the week, make time to be there with them. Enjoy time with children (and don’t be responding to work emails when you are with them). Go out on a date night with your significant other and enjoy each other’s company. Make sure they know that they are loved. When you take time for personal relationships and they are going well, you will perform better at work.

Now you have a lot to think about after reading all these tips. It may seem daunting to start all of them at once. Start small. We all have made huge New Years resolutions that we break after only a month into the new year. Starting cold turkey with new diets or other goals are recipes for disaster. The same is true with starting the changes to have a more balanced life. If your goal is to exercise more or be at family dinner, start with small steps. Exercise 3 times a week to start or try to be at one dinner a week to start. Setting these small goals will set you up for success and you will find that your life will become increasingly balanced. When you have established a base, you can then build on that by setting higher goals and find the perfect work-life balance.

If you are looking for a better job opportunity to create a better work-life balance, contact us and we will find the right fit for you.