7 Ways To Improve Work-Life Balance

Ever felt tired and drained all the time? Self-doubt creeping in? At some point in your life, you may have experienced burnout. There may have been moments when you have felt overwhelmed. For instance, a task that seems simple and straightforward when you are thinking clearly feels monumental when you’re mentally-drained.

So you might find yourself in a situation where you sometimes just want to avoid everything that triggers your anxiety. Your to-do list keeps getting longer and longer? Taking work home because somehow there is just not enough hours in the day to complete your tasks? Does that sound familiar? And so we may even feel as though our work is taking a huge toll even in our social lives.

“Balance is not just better time management, but better boundary management. Balance means making choices and enjoying those choices.” – Betsy Jacobson.

A healthy work-life balance is essential to a happy and productive life; it’s important to one’s physical, mental and emotional health. Unfortunately, the lines between work and home have become blurred, making it difficult to find time for both. If you're struggling to achieve a work-life balance, here are seven ways to get started:

1. Unplug

There are many ways to unplug from social media and the digital world, but the most important thing is to be intentional about it. If and when possible, put notifications on silent outside of working hours. Consider having a digital detox. Set aside time each day to disconnect from your devices and be present in the moment. During your spare time, whether it’s spending time with loved ones, reading a book, or taking a nature walk, find activities that help you relax and rejuvenate. And when you’re back online, try to be mindful of your usage and make sure you’re using social media and digital technology in a way that enhances your life, rather than detracting from it.

2. Prioritise Your Health

Outside of work, we all have social obligations as well as familial ones. Sometimes, you may feel stretched like an elastic band, getting pulled from all directions due to commitments and responsibilities. Take time to breath. Commit to self-care.

There are a few things that can be done in order to take care of one's health while working. It is important to try to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity in each day, even if it means breaking it up into more manageable chunks of time. Be realistic. Maintaining a balanced diet and staying hydrated are also key. If possible, it can be helpful to pack healthy snacks to eat during the day. Meal planning is also useful so that it reduces mental load. Additionally, meal prepping can also help eat more healthily as it makes things more convenient for you when you are busy or tired after coming home from work. You can also journal your feelings so that you're not just bottling up your emotions. Finally, it is important to make sure to get enough sleep each night. The importance of our mental, emotional and physical health and well-being should not be overlooked.

3. Implement Short Breaks Throughout The Day

Take time to rest both mentally and physically. Taking a break is a fantastic way to recharge your batteries. Now, I know it’s not realistic to take a vacation on a whim. But, taking a vacation does not necessarily mean traveling to hot and exotic places. Practice mindfulness be it through prayer or meditation. Simply take a small mental health break.

There are a few things to consider when taking breaks during the work day. First, if it is feasible, try to allocate a break every 90 minutes or so. This will help you feel more rejuvenated. Second, if possible, make sure you are stepping away from your work. Taking a walk, stretching, or even just standing up and moving around will help you stay more alert and avoid fatigue. Finally, try to avoid using your break time to check work email or other work-related tasks. Instead, use your break time to relax and recharge so that you can be more productive when you are working. It’s important to have a more positive and pragmatic outlook so that you can live a more enriching life.

4. Pursue Hobbies

It’s important to prioritise quality time. One key way you can maintain a healthy work-life balance is by focusing on learning new skills or simply doing something different. Spend time doing what you enjoy so you can rebalance your life. Something I’ve been trying to live by, is to learn something new or interesting every day.

Pursuing one’s hobbies is important to stay mentally healthy because it not only gives you a sense of accomplishment, but it also makes you feel good about yourself, and it can help take your mind off of day-to-day stressors. Personally, I have found that when I have a hobby that I am passionate about, where it helped to provide a much-needed outlet for creative expression, it definitely help boost one’s self-esteem. Additionally, hobbies can help reduce boredom and monotony which can sometimes lead to feelings of depression or anxiety.

5. Make Time For Yourself And Your Loved Ones

When working full-time, it can be difficult to find time for loved ones, but it is important to make time for them whenever possible. One way to do this is to schedule time for them into your week. Whether it's spending an hour every Saturday for brunch, a date night with your spouse, or a monthly family gathering etc., making time for those you love will help keep your relationship strong. Another way to make time for loved ones is to take advantage of technology. Whether it is brief video calls during lunch breaks or sending quick text or audio messages throughout the day, staying connected with those you love is important. Making time for yourself and spending quality time with loved ones will help maintain a healthier work-life balance.

?6. Set Boundaries And Adhere To Work Hours

I understand. It can be difficult to set boundaries between work and home life, especially during those periods when working online from home, but it is important to set boundaries in order to maintain a healthy work-life balance. One way to set boundaries is to create a physical space for work, such as a home office, and to only work in that space. This can help prevent work from spilling into other areas of the home. Another way to set boundaries is to set specific times for working and try to stick to those times as much as possible. Whether working on-site or remotely, it's important to adhere to work hours. Once you are at home, if possible, silence your email notifications outside of working hours. This can help to switch off from work-mode and to ensure that work does not take all your free time. Make sure you set priorities. Finally, it is important to be honest with yourself about when and how much work is actually necessary, and to try to avoid taking on more than can be reasonably handled. Overworking will not only increase the likelihood of irritability, fatigue and depression, it can also lower concentration and decrease productivity, making working for longer hours counterproductive.

7. Set Your Priorities

Ultimately, by prioritising the most important tasks and completing them first will give you a sense of accomplishment and productivity throughout the rest of your day. This will also enable you to go home with peace of mind. Planning work tasks is another way for managing a good balance between life and work as it helps us prioritise their actions in accordance to the importance of a task. Moreover, adhering to a well-laid plan also helps save a lot of time at work. Therefore, time-management is a very important aspect when it comes to having a healthy work-life balance. Being more organised and practicing time-management will also help reduce the need to take work home.

If you're struggling to achieve a work-life balance, the above seven tips can help you get started. Make sure to set aside time for both work and play, and - InshaAllah - you'll soon find yourself enjoying a happier and more productive life.

Written & Edited by: Aziza Khanom