Creating work-life balance is crucial in ensuring you live a happy and fulfilled in life. In fact, it is one of the top reason why employees stay with their employer long-term and is a key for many companies talent retention strategy.
It is proven that you are more than likely to feel less stressed and that you do not have to sacrifice family fulfilment over career success. Below are ways on how you can take control over your own work-life balance:
Time Management and Overall Prioritisation
Work smarter not harder! This is key when setting yourself up for true work-like balance. Below are some tricks and tips on how to truly achieve this:
- Set tasks
- Turn off email notifications to concentrate on each task, then check emails during times intervals
- Work with To and CCs – this ensures that you know what you need to
- Highlight priorities and set yours and others stakeholders’ expectations
Flexible Work Hours and Locations
Does your workplace have flexible work hours or could you work from home or a different location? Not all types of roles enable this to be a reality; do you know if this work arrangement could work for you and your employer without disrupting your work? If so, have you ever actually asked your employer is this is possible? If not, and you are interested in this, why haven’t you? Employers are not mind readers, so simply discuss the possibility with them….you never know unless you ask.
Set Rules and Draw the Line
- After a certain hour, ensure that you switch off your work email notifications on your mobile; home time is quality time with your family.
- Set a time and place to check emails out of work hours
If you feel like you need to check your phone due to busy working periods or if you work with multiple regions with different time zones, set up times when you check your email and take calls and have a dedicated space at home where you can solely concentrate on work and then leave once finished.
At ExecutiveDNA, we love a good TED Talk; one of the most watched TED talks that is presented by Nigel March, the author of Fit, Fifty and Fired-Up, Fat, Forty and Fired and Overworked and Underlaid, offers motivation and encouragement on how to make it into a reality.