As our professional lives continue to ramp up, striking a balance between work and personal time can be difficult. Putting your best effort into everything that’s expected of you is sometimes more difficult than it sounds. If you are struggling to meet every expectation with your full life force, you are not alone.
Workloads are more demanding, productivity is expected to be exceptional, and 24/7 connectivity is the new normal – but if you are tempted for one moment to buy into the fact that this is an acceptable practice, stop right there.
Whatever happened to looking out for number one? and how can you be effective at anything unless you are able to approach each task from a fresh perspective?
Luckily, it is possible to have it all and not disappoint anybody in the process. All it takes is some of that fancy juggling you are so famous for – but this time, you’re scheduling yourself into the mix. It’s time to start making YOU a priority. Here’s how:
Learn how to say “no”
I know it’s hard. People come to you because they know you will deliver the goods. However, you are only one person and can’t do every little thing – well, technically, maybe you can, but if you stop promising to meet impossible deadlines, nobody’s going to lose an eye over it. So, if you are asked to complete a task that doesn’t fall under your job description, keep in mind that it’s okay to pass. And stop volunteering for things you know you don’t have time for. The people asking will just move on to the next person on their list and won’t think any less of you. Promise.
Quit procrastinating: set deadlines and stick to them!
Nothing eats up time like doing nothing. Want to really have a life? leave work on time. Don’t get distracted by your colleagues or office politics, resist the urge to linger after meetings, and my personal favorite – remove all the chairs (except your own) from your office so nobody else is tempted to waste your time. Schedule your tasks in a spreadsheet and set reasonable time limits for each one – and then stick to it. If you know in advance what your workload looks like for the day/week/month, it will be much easier to carve out some work/life balance for yourself.
Ask for help when you need it
Don’t be afraid to ask for a little help from a colleague, whether it is to delegate admin tasks, or for somebody better qualified (hard to believe, I know) to take an important aspect of a task off your plate completely. Highly successful people are good delegators: it’s the connective tissue that holds together the living, breathing epitome of awesomeness that you are.
Keep your energy up: stay active!
Do you walk or run every morning? Do you go to the gym? If you can walk to work, take the stairs, play tennis on your lunch hour, join a volleyball team on the weekends – any tasks that get your blood pumping will suffice – Bottom line, exercise is not only good for your body but your mind too. A fit body uses oxygen much more efficiently than one that is not. This means more brain power, and significantly more energy to do the things you love. And by that, we don’t mean working overtime.
Make work-life balance a priority
No matter what industry you work in, whether you work for a company, even if you’re an entrepreneur, all work and no play will kill you eventually. Remember, nobody is going to remember you for how many hours you put in, so why not shift your focus back onto what makes life so sweet in the first place? By allotting time for yourself, the time you spend working will be more productive and ultimately more satisfying.
If you are a remote worker, a start-up or entrepreneur looking for flexible office space in the Round Rock area, call or drop by Heritage Office Suites today. We’d love to show you around, and talk about how we can make your job easier by taking some of those time-consuming tasks off your plate.
