The first steps to having
a healthy work/life balance
Do you struggle to switch off from work in your spare time?
Find yourself checking your emails whilst sat watching the TV or
between cooking dinner for the kids? In an age of technology
takeover and busy schedules, it’s sometimes hard to find the
perfect work/life balance and knowing when to focus your
attention elsewhere.
Unplugging from technology and
finding activities that help you to relax
and detach from work is one of the
first steps to achieving the balance.
Suggestions for such therapeutic
activities could include reading, enjoying
the great outdoors by going for a long
walk, cooking, gentle exercise such as
yoga or swimming or even meditation.
Phycologists say that within your daily
routine you should include an hour of
self-care and an hour for relaxation
to enable your mind and body to
recuperate and rejuvenate from the day.
58
It is also important to manage time
spent in work well. Perhaps you are
finding that there aren’t enough hours in
the working day to do the tasks which
have been set? Prioritising what needs
to be done first and putting together an
efficient to do list should help to ease
your overall time management. Trial and
error is also a key aspect when working
with to do lists. Using different formats
and setting yourself daily goals instead
of planning to take over the world
should relieve that extra bit of pressure
at the end of the working day.
Importantly remember family and health
should always come first. Looking after
physical and mental health should fall
into the ‘me’ time that you dedicate to
yourself each day, including eating a
healthy well balanced diet and regular
exercise. You should start to see that by
introducing this into your daily routine,
it will be reflected in your performance
in work and life as well. Make sure
that you give 100% of your attention to
family time, by switching phones and
laptops off. Your nearest and dearest
do not want to have a conversation with
you looking at a screen.
These are just some of the ways in
which you can introduce balance to
your lifestyle through positive behaviour
changes. Make a change in your daily
routine today to see the benefits of
well being!
By Amber Ainsworth