Often, work takes precedence over everything else in our lives. Our desire to be successful can push us to neglect other important areas in our life. It’s important to have a work-life balance to improve physical, emotional and mental well-being. Managing work-life balance can reduce stress, burnout and help you prioritise your well-being.

When creating your schedule, think about what works best for you and find a way to achieve balance in your work and personal life. Managing work-life balance is about accomplishing your work goals but also having the time and energy to enjoy time alone and with family and friends. If you are struggling to find a balance between work and personal then this blog is for you.

1. Maximise your strengths 

If you’re trying to everything, stop. Identify the tasks that you are strong at and outsource the ones that you’re not. Whether it’s digital marketing or finances, rather outsource those tasks to co-workers or a virtual assistant than wasting your time trying to figure it out.

2. Schedule your day 

Learning how to plan and manage your time is imperative in achieving a work-life balance. Instead of starting each day without structure and taking it as it comes, plan your day to increase your efficiency, productivity and reduce stress. You’ll be amazed at how much you can accomplish once you stick to a proper schedule. Set boundaries and properly structure working hours to avoid working until midnight, which can easily become a habit.

So, grab your morning cup of coffee and schedule your day before it has even begun.

3. Prioritise your tasks 

You may have 40 tasks on your to-do list, and not all of them are urgent as you think they are. Sit down and prioritise your tasks from the most urgent and important to the least. This creates a clear idea of what you need to accomplish first or better yet delegate them to someone else. 

4. Delegate effectively 

Are constantly fighting against the clock, wondering where all the hours in the day went? Chances are you not delegating your tasks enough. Delegating effectively allows you to put the focus on the tasks that are the most important and handover the ones that are not. Get your team involved and motivate collaboration among you. Start trusting your co-workers and family and share the workload. Involve your children in household duties and delegate more to your colleagues. This will help you reduce stress and also giving others more responsibility will help them grow.  

5. Know your highs and lows 

If you know you perform better at a certain time of the day, it’s best to jump on the tasks that require the most concentration and brain-power at this time. This allows you to get the most difficult tasks completed when you are at your highest level of performance.    

6. Set boundaries 

Learning to say ‘no’ comes from having clear priorities and sticking to them. Understand that you can’t be everything for everyone and to maintain a healthy work-life balance there are some things you need to turn down. Do not over-commit yourself because you are afraid of the consequences. At first, it will be daunting but later, you will be glad you had the courage to say no. 

7. Give yourself “me” time

While your job is important, it is not your entire life. So you should prioritize personal time as well, doing things you love and spending time with family and friends. If you do not plan personal time, you will never have time for other important things in your life. No matter how hectic your schedule can get, you need to be in control of your time and life.

8. Switch off work mode 

Are you always checking your work emails at the dinner table or stressing about a client brief when you should be helping the kids with the homework? Then work has clearly taken over your life and you need to learn to switch off. After a long day at work, you need to spend time with your family or take some alone time. Be invested in family time and do activities together. It will help you to switch off your notifications and not get on your laptop after work.  

9. Relax and take breaks

It’s important to switch off and take regular breaks during your workday. If there has been a cancellation and you have some time, rather than doing more work use that time to take a walk or meditate. You might not always have time to sit and relax but always try to give yourself a lunch break. It also helps to get up and stretch every now and then throughout the day. This will help you clear your mind, become more focused and more productive. 

10. Take care of your mental health 

When you are stressed or feel self-doubt or anxiety creeping in, it’s crucial that you take time to take care of your mental health. Read, meditate, talk to someone (friend/family or healthcare professional). Working remotely can get lonely and stressful and this can affect your productivity. So note when you are not okay and try to get help. 

We hope you have found these top 10 tips on managing work-life balance helpful. Don’t forget to share this blog with someone who you think may need it, you never know who you could be helping.