Here are 5 Ways to Improve Work Life Balance.
When working from home, the lines between work and life tend to get a little blurry, and it can get difficult balancing work and life. Well, enough is enough. It’s time to draw clear boundaries in your life. Not only to protect your sanity, but to be more productive professionally and personally. Here are five ways for you to make sure you and your brain know it’s time to shut down.
MOVE YOUR BODY
One of the best ways to balance work and life is to move your body!
You don’t have to run miles, unless you want to. A walk around the block or a few stretches will do wonders for your posture, digestive health and mood. Getting some natural endorphins flowing will give you the mental boost you need after a long day of hard work. But, exercise doesn’t just reduce stress.
In fact, in a 2014 study published by Dick Jones Communications, researchers found that exercise plays a key role in your ability to manage your work-life balance. Granted, the idea of adding another item to your daily agenda sounds even more taxing, but studies show exercise forces you to psychologically detach from work. So, not only are you physically distant from work, but your mentally away too.
GET CREATIVE
Another way to balancing work and life is to let your creative side shine!
Do whatever you need to do to stimulate the right side of your brain—it’s responsible for performing task having to do with creativity and the arts. Reading a fiction novel, playing an instrument, cooking or baking are all fun ways to exercise your creative muscles. Oh, and for the creative entrepreneurs out there…find something that has no external pressure linked to it and that you can do without feeling the need to be productive.
CONNECT
Connecting with friends and family is another great way to balance work and life!
The default for so many is to hop onto social media the moment the clock strikes five. And I get it. I for one itch to see the fall fashions modeled on Instagram. But while this endless scroll may feel like a good release, it actually only adds to the anxieties of the day.
In fact, in a 2018 study published by the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, researchers found that if you use less social media, you are less at risk of depression and feelings of loneliness.
Instead, try to connect with someone directly. Make a call or find someone to go on a walk with. Social media connections can be misleading. While it seems pleasurable in the moment, it will leave you feeling empty. Connecting face to face will fill your soul.
REFLECT
Taking the time to journal and reflect on your day is a great for balancing work and life!
Because journaling has become such a buzzword, a lot of people find the act intimidating and ingenuine. But you can keep it simple: Write about the events of the day, thoughts or ideas that might have popped up and any other loose thoughts floating around in your brain preventing you from being at peace.
Journaling doesn’t have to be extravagant, written in fancy cursive or be done in a cutesy journal. The words you pour out onto the page are for your eyes only, so write what you need to in order to clear your head.
PLAN
Planning and giving yourself a loose schedule is another great way to improve work life balance!
Plan for the next day. Getting all your thoughts out on paper is great, now take it one step further. Make a game plan for the next day to ensure you don’t wake up confused– unsure of what to do first– and to avoid distractions. Remember, not everything has to be done in one day. So give yourself space and grace to move through the day at a restful pace.
