A good work-life balance essentially means working less. It’s all about productivity - how you manage your time and priorities. You can work a lot and still have a good work-life balance.
For decades, we’ve been living in a workaholic culture. The average person will spend 90,000 hours at work over a lifetime. If we could name one good thing about that awful pandemic, then it didn’t just spread the virus but also spread awareness of work-life balance. More of us are able to take advantage of longer hours at home and appreciate the quality of life we have.
With that said, working from home makes it hard to manage the weight of work life and private life since only you can draw the line. You don’t physically walk away from your home office exactly at 5 pm like you may have done when you used to work in the office, do you? You know the feeling if you work from home - you cannot rest until a particular task is completely finished. You can’t leave it until the morning because you already have another task to do first thing the next day. Yes? No? Yes?
Why don’t we find out how to manage your time better and make room for the things that are important to you outside of work? Let’s get it started.
What Does Work-Life Balance Mean?
Work-life balance is about prioritising your time, as your waking hours are limited. It means setting a boundary between work and personal life and having an adequate distribution of time.
The boundary between our personal and professional lives can feel incredibly blurred. And while there are plenty of advantages to working from the comfort of our own homes, it’s important to set some clear boundaries between work and play time, or we risk burning out.
Work-Life Balance According To Wikipedia
Wikipedia defines the term “work-life interface” and explains that it is about "the ability to achieve a healthy, sustainable equilibrium between an individual's work and personal life."
What’s The Difference Between Work-Life Balance and Work-Life Integration?
A work-life balance refers to equalising the demands of work and home life by establishing clear boundaries in between. On the other hand, work-life integration entails blending our obligations both professionally and personally. It’s about being flexible. The difference between the two terms is either knowing when to stop to avoid getting stressed (work-life balance) or being able to compromise without getting stressed (work-life integration).
When you see the two words - ‘work’ and ‘life’ - as polar-opposite, it may sound as if work does not belong to life. But they are not antithetical because for the majority of us, our careers are a big part of our lives.
Work-Life Integration Theory
Work-life integration theory posits that individuals can and should integrate work and non-work activities to achieve a sense of balance in their lives. The theory was first proposed by Sylvia Ann Hewlett in her 2002 book, Creating a Life: Work and Family Beyond the Gender Divide.
Hewlett argued that work-life balance is not an issue that only women face; rather, it is a challenge for all workers who have competing demands on their time. She proposed that organizations need to do more to support workers in integrating their work and non-work responsibilities.
Hewlett's theory has been influential in shaping workplace policies and practices related to work-life balance. For example, many companies now offer flexible work arrangements and paid parental leave in order to support employees in balancing their work and family life.
What Is a Good Work-Life Balance?
A good work-life balance is when you have enough time for both your work and your personal life. You're not working all the time or living all the time, but you're doing a little bit of both.
Achieving a good work-life balance can be difficult especially if you are running a business from home. Spend 10 more minutes of work and you may raise more revenue, then another 10 minutes… You need to know when to stop.
Enough of unpractical definitions. So how can we set realistic boundaries between work and personal time when we work from home? Here are some tips on how to achieve a good work-life balance:
11 Ways To Improve Your Work-Life Balance
1. Find out what's important to you
Work is important because whether you love it, hate it, or feel ok with it, that’s what you do to make a living. Your personal life is important because you do everything that you care about. Let’s once again, clear your thoughts.
- What do you want to achieve in your career?
- What are your goals in your career?
- What are your goals in your personal life, or in general?
- Do you spend a lot of time doing what you hate?
- Are you happy with the way you are?
- Do you find time to develop yourself (your personality, relationships, academically?)
Once you know what's important to you, that’s the first step to finding a balance between work and life.
2. Take care of yourself physically
If you haven’t already, make sure every day that your body’s in working order. Because there’s no point in planning anything on paper if you’re too tired to carry it out as planned. You know what’s coming;
- Eat healthily,
- Exercise, and
- Get enough sleep.
Taking care of your body will help you feel your best and have the energy you need to power through your day.
3. Set regular hours and stick to them
Set a specific time for work and a specific time for personal time, and stick to it as much as possible. This will help to create a routine and make it easier to keep the boundary in place.
Establish regular working hours and do your best to stick to them. Let your family and friends know what your regular working hours are, so they don’t disturb you during those times.
Be assertive in enforcing your boundary. If someone tries to intrude on your personal time, kindly but firmly explain that you are not available for work at that time. You may need to do this multiple times before they respect your boundary.
4. Work in a dedicated space
If possible, have separate spaces for work and personal activities. This could be separate rooms or even just separate areas of the same room. Having a physical separation will make it easier to mentally switch between work and personal mode. Close the door so you can focus on your work.
5. Go out, have a power nap…take regular breaks
When you work from home, it’s all too easy to get caught up in your work and forget to take breaks. Step away from your desk regularly to recharge - physically step away. Go out in the garden, or take a walk around the block. When your mind is well-rested, you’ll be more productive and less likely to make mistakes.
Try a power nap if you think it suits you; have 45 minutes - 1 hour of siesta after lunch. You may regain your energy and be able to have a productive afternoon this way. And if you’ve had a productive day, you’ll be likely to know when to finish for the day instead of dragging on.
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6. Set aside time for personal projects
A personal project means starting a new hobby or activity that you think you can enjoy. Unless you already have something that you look forward to spending time outside of work each day. It can be anything - from playing sports, taking a dance class, yoga class, baking, starting a garden, a musical instrument, art, volunteering… Make sure to make time for it in your schedule.
Setting aside some time each week for a personal project this way will help you feel more balanced and fulfilled.
7. Create a “ritual”
Why don’t you create 1-2 minutes of ritual and perform it before and after work? For example;
- Meditate - Meditation doesn’t have to be complicated. Close your eyes and breathe slowly. Imagine air going through your nose, throat, and lungs as you inhale and exhale. That’s all you have to do. Just for 2 minutes.
- Make positive affirmations - Create your own affirmations. They can be anything that you want to achieve. Read them out and repeat them to yourself before/after work each day.
- Let out a primal scream - If your living environment allows it, of course!
A short ritual like one of these will allow you to switch your work mode on and off.
8. Don’t answer work emails after hours (and don’t answer personal emails during work hours)
One of the easiest ways to blur the lines between work and personal time is to answer work emails after hours. But unless it’s an emergency, resist the urge to check your work email after hours or on weekends. You deserve a break, and your employer will understand that.
During work hours, try to avoid personal activities as much as possible. This means no checking social media, no answering personal emails, etc.
9. Don’t overcommit yourself - learn to say no
One of the most difficult things to do is say “no” when someone asks you to do something, especially if it’s for work. But if you don’t learn to say “no”, it will be very difficult to find time for your personal life.
Don’t try to do it all, because your time is limited. Don’t be afraid to turn down extra assignments or overtime at work if it would interfere with your personal life.
Some people take advantage of your kindness without knowing. They have to know you’re not available 24/7. You deserve to put your own needs first sometimes, and they don’t know unless you tell them sometimes!
10. Be honest with yourself
It's important to be honest with yourself about what you can realistically accomplish in a day. We all have days where we’re extra productive, but trying to replicate that level of productivity every day is unrealistic and will only lead to burnout. So be realistic about what you can accomplish in a day, and don’t beat yourself up if you don’t meet those expectations.
11. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
If you feel like you’re struggling to achieve a good work-life balance, don’t be afraid to ask for help from your family, friends, your mentor, or former boss... Anyone who you feel most comfortable talking to. You may be able to talk yourself out. They may be able to pinpoint your particular problem and suggest some ways to fix it. A simple idea they come up with can solve problems you thought were out of your hands.
Some professionals suggest that you should talk to them (a counsellor or therapist) if you’re struggling to find a good work-life balance. Although I don’t think it’s just a simple work-life balance issue the problem may be somewhere deeper with you and your lifestyle as a whole. Anyway, if you think you’re suffering so much, by all means, yes, speak to a professional.
How To Create a Positive Affirmation
A positive affirmation is a phrase or statement that you repeat to yourself on a regular basis, in order to manifest your desired goals and outcomes.
- Make a list of your goals - What are you trying to accomplish? Ensure that your goals are specific and realistic.
- Choose a positive affirmation that supports your goal - Make sure your affirmation is something you believe in wholeheartedly. If you don't believe it, you won't be able to manifest it into reality.
- Repeat your affirmation twice a day - The more often you say your affirmation, the more likely you are to believe it and see results. Try repeating it before work in the morning and after work to switch yourself off. Both out loud and in your head.
- Visualize yourself achieving your goal - See yourself already succeeding at what you're trying to achieve. What does it feel like? What are you doing? How do people react to your success? This step will help solidify your belief in yourself and the power of affirmations.
Create effective affirmations
- Keep it short and sweet: Keep your affirmation concise and to the point. The more direct and focused it is, the more powerful it will be.
- Make it present tense: Make your affirmation present tense so that your subconscious mind will believe it is true in the here and now. For example, rather than saying "I will make a full-time income with my affiliate marketing business", say "I am making a full-time income with my affiliate marketing business".
- Use positive language: Use positive, upbeat language in your affirmation. Avoid words like "not" or "don't" as these can negate the power of your words.
Examples of positive affirmations
Some examples of positive affirmations that you can use to achieve your goals are:
- "I am worthy of love and respect."
- "I am capable of achieving anything I set my mind to."
- "I am surrounded by people who support and believe in me."
- "I am grateful for all that I have been blessed with."
- "I am happy and content with who I am."
How To Achieve A Good Work-Life Balance: Conclusion
Having a good work-life balance, does it sound achievable to you? It’s not as hard as you would have thought, is it? Set a clear boundary, stick to your schedule, and make this a daily routine. It will become second nature to you over time. It is possible for you to have a successful home business career and happy personal life.
