There are 120 hours in a standard work week. Someone who puts in 40 hours at the office plus a 1-hour daily lunch spends 48 of them at work, not including travel time to and from the office. That means that on average, someone could spend over 40% of the work week at the office! Once sleep is factored in, there are few hours left for spending time with family and friends, and let’s not forget taking time for yourself.
There’s no exact formula when it comes to work-life balance; what works for your co-worker might not work for you. The important thing to remember is to live a lifestyle that fits your needs and keeps you sane throughout the craziness of the work day.
Below are some ways to help you keep yourself in check.
- Have a hobby. Whether you’re curling up with a good book, training for a marathon, baking a cake, or collecting coins, having a hobby can be very therapeutic. Your hobby should be enjoyable and keep you stress-free! And it’s an added bonus if you get to do this hobby with friends and/or family.
- Take an office break. Go for a post-lunch walk, check your Facebook account, or spend a few minutes catching up with co-workers. Even on the busiest of days, taking a 5-minute break helps to recharge your batteries and clear your mind.
- Focus on yourself. How often do you feel like you’re being pulled in eight different directions? It really is ok to be selfish every now and then; there’s only so much you can do to take care of others before you run out of steam. Whether it is a day at the spa or a drive through the country, having alone time will do wonders to help you relax.
- Accept. This is probably the hardest one for people to do. Accept what, you ask? Accept the fact that the work will still be there in the morning. I understand that sometimes it’s necessary to stay late to meet a deadline and sometimes there really is too much work to be done in eight hours. But if you think about it, you’re never truly going to be done with your work, as there will always be more waiting for you!
You can also check out these posts below for some tips from the pros.
5 Tips for Better Work-Life Balance
Work-Life Balance: Tips to Reclaim Control
7 Secrets to Managing Work and Life
The key is to figure out what works best for you and to stick to it.
