In today’s busy world, prioritizing between your work and your personal life can be a huge challenge. But studies show that a poor work-life balance can result in unhealthy levels of stress, unhappiness, and even reduced productivity.
The 5 tips outlined in this article are designed to help you restore the balance and harmony in your work and personal lives, so you can enjoy both to the utmost.
* Set your priorities
Figure out what you want your priorities to be, not what you think they should be. Ask yourself, “If I could only focus on one thing in my life, what would it be?”
That answer is your top priority. What would you focus on second? Third? Fourth? Fifth? You’ve now identified your top five priorities.
* Track your timeFor one week, track how you spend your time. How much time do you spend doing things that don’t matter to you? Or that don’t align with your priorities? Eliminate these things from your life, or delegate them.
* Concentrate on one thing at a timeForget multi-tasking. It’s not possible to focus on two things at the same time. Instead, devote your full attention to the task at hand.
When you are working, work. When you are spending time with your family, focus solely on them.
* Schedule one thing you look forward to each dayBook some time to play tennis with a friend, go to an art museum, or have a massage. The activity doesn’t have to be time-consuming, complicated, or expensive.
Put aside an hour on your schedule to read a book, take a walk, or just to be alone.
* Respect your private timeAn emergency would most likely have to come up before you’d reschedule an important work meeting. Give your own time the same respect.
Once you’ve put private time on your schedule, protect it, unless there’s an emergency.