Work-life balance is something that many people struggle with on a day-to-day basis. If you’re someone who’s not currently struggling with it, I’m sure you can admit that at one time you did. Work-life balance isn’t easy!
I struggled with work-life balance for a good while and, to be honest, some days it can still be a struggle for me. Back when my husband and I first got married, we both had to learn how to adapt to a new stage of life and living. I had no work-life balance when it came to my blog. I put almost everything I had in me into my blog, even if that meant staying up until 1:00 am to finish a post. I grew so stressed. My husband, someone who loves to do all things with excellence and help others out even if it inconveniences him, also grew weary and rundown. We finally came to the realization one day that we had no work-life balance and that it wasn’t just putting a strain on ourselves personally, but it was putting stress on our relationship. It was then we knew it was time to buckle down, change things, and that we had to desperate find a work-life balance.
The process of finding a work-life balance is not an easy one that happens overnight. Nope! It’s a process that takes a good amount of time, patience, and grace to develop in the right way.
[bctt tweet=”Developing a work-life balance takes time, but it is every ounce WORTH it.” username=”SummerTelban”]
Today, I want to share with you some helpful tips and ideas that have helped me improve my work-life balance.
8 TIPS FOR A BETTER WORK-LIFE BALANCE:
1. Have Daily To-Do Lists For Your Work & Your Life // I don’t know about you, but I run on to-do lists. They help me stay organized and on track, especially if I’m in a busy season. One thing I have found helpful when it comes to keeping lists is to keep my blog to-do list and my life to-do lists completely separate. Before I would write them down on the same notepad or notebook, but I would get distracted between them all. I’d be writing content one moment and then freaking out the next because I didn’t clean the dishes yet. To-do lists are lifesavers, but when it comes to keeping a productive work-life balance, you’ve got to keep them separate.
2. Have A Motivational Workspace // Depending on your job, this can be expanded upon in a few different ways. As someone who works from home for a good portion of my day, it’s key for me to have a dedicated desk space for my blog work. My desk is only used for when I’m working, and with that boundary in place, I’m able to keep intentional about my work-life balance. My workspace isn’t just a desk, though. My workspace has motivational quotes and art pieces hung on the wall, as well as reminders and photos of things that keep my heart happy. Even if you’re in a season and you’re working a job you don’t totally love, try making the most of your workspace to help you stay productive when you’re working. It’ll also help elevate your mood so that what happens at/during work, stays at work.
Related Reading: How To Create A Productive Desk Space
3. Limit Your Email Access When You’re Not Working // Friends, believe it or not, this is one of the most important things you can do for your work-life balance. I got a new phone in early spring last year and I decided not to reconnect my work (blog) email to my phone. This has been SO huge for me in separating life from my work. Instead of being on edge when waiting for an email, I’m less stressed and calmer. I really want to encourage you to try this out! If that’s not for you, try to adapt to new practices when it comes to not checking your email 24/7. If you’re someone who’ll get sucked into work when you get on your computer, try to avoid using your computer at all on your days off.
4. Schedule A Set “Stop Work” Time // Time was one of the biggest struggles for me when learning how to balance my life and my blog. I’d work on my blog during the day, then I went to work, and then I’d come home and work on my blog some more. This was unhealthy. It was straining my marriage. It was stressing me out. When you schedule a set time to stop your work and you stick to it, you’ll be impressed with the balance you’ll find in doing so. I currently try my best to get all of my blog work done during the day, so that in the evenings I can spend more time with my husband.
[bctt tweet=”Set a time to stop work and STICK to it. You’ll find so much balance in doing so!” username=”SummerTelban”]
5. Don’t Talk About Work So Much // Work can be full of joy, but it can also be full of stress at times. It’s okay to talk about your work, especially if it’s something you really love! But, if that’s all you ever talk about – are you really striving for a positive work-life balance? Sometimes you might not even notice you talk about work all of the time. Try to be aware of and intentional about your conversations with others. Of course, there are times that you can chat about work, but don’t let that be the central focus of your conversations.
[bctt tweet=”Find things to talk about other than work when you’re not at work!” username=”SummerTelban”]
6. Be Sure To Schedule Downtime // When you choose to schedule downtime instead of leaving it up to wherever it falls in your week, you’re actually creating a better work-life balance. When you choose to schedule self-care or “me” time into your week, you’re acknowledging that you need that time to recuperate and to find balance. If you have scheduled downtime and something else comes up, try your best to stick to the downtime you already have scheduled.
Related Reading: Making Self-Care A Priority
7. Learn To Say No And Not Justify It // Learning to say no is one of the most difficult things for most people to learn. Most people want to help others out any chance they get, but honestly, that’s not healthy. You have to be first pouring into yourself. Learn to say no. Learn to not justify that answer. These two things go hand-in-hand when it comes to setting boundaries between work and life. Learn them well and learn to not feel bad about it! It’s okay to say no.
[bctt tweet=”Learn to say NO and NOT justify it.” username=”SummerTelban”]
8. Set Clear & Firm Boundaries Between Work & Life // If you’re noticing you really need to crack down and make a change when it comes to your work-life balance, check-in with where your boundaries are. Are you sticking to them? Are they clear? Do you have any boundaries at all? Take some time to reevaluate where your work-life balance is and find the problem areas. If you have a hard time ending work for the day at a proper time, then focus on creating that boundary, and get someone to keep you accountable to it. Even if you think you have great boundaries between work and life, it’s important to check-in to see if there’s anywhere you can improve your boundaries. Boundaries are so key to a healthy life. Boundaries are not meant to keep you from certain things, per se, but instead, to give you a more fulfilling life.
[bctt tweet=”8 Tips For A Better Work-Life Balance” username=”SummerTelban”]
How are you doing with work-life balance? Are you doing really well? Are you having some struggles? Where do you need to grow? Developing a work-life balance takes time, so be patient with yourself. Let’s chat, friends!
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