5 Top Tips For A Work Life Balance

Are you totally stressed out with working long hours and having no life outside work? If this is you, and you don’t enjoy it, then this has to change. You weren’t put on this earth to sit behind a desk for 60 plus hours a week. You only get one life, you have to make the most out of it. Here are my five top tips for creating a work life balance.

  1. Priorities: If you are working 60 plus hours per week, then your current number one priority is work. Whether you like it or not, that is what you are portraying in the actions that you are taking on a daily basis. If fitness was your top priority, then no matter what you would fit in that workout, or go for that half an hour walk at lunch time, but instead you are chained to your desk. Write out what you want to be your top ten priorities and then write out the actions you are going to take to make sure that the actions you take match back to your priorities list. For example if your husband is your number one priority, but you haven’t been on a date night for months, then that is the first action you must take. Take a minute to think through this now, as in the long run this list will help transform your life. This will also highlight the communications you need to take. For example you may have to have an uncomfortable discussion with your manager, but in this day and age, this conversation, should lead to actions being taken to reduce your workload so that you can leave work at a normal hour, this could result in recruiting a junior for you, or sharing the workload with other colleagues. Work smart, not long, this requires prioritisation.
  2. Exercise: Make time in your life for exercise, as they say, a health body a healthy mind. There are so many benefits to exercise, that doesn’t have to mean sweating it out at the gym, it could just mean going for a half an hour walk at lunch with a friend, or walking to the next train or bus station. Just incorporating some exercise into your everyday life will provide you with more of a balance. Boosts your energy levels and makes you more alert.
  3. Plan social activities: Make plans with friends during the week, this could be dinner, a movie, trying a new yoga class. Once you have plans in your diary you are committed, if you don’t have plans then it is easy just to stay at work for a few more hours and before you know it, you have to go home to go straight to bed before waking up in a few hours totally exhausted to go back to work again.
  4. Make time for a hobby: Slowly build activities into your schedule that are important to you. Even during a hectic day, you can take 15 minutes to read a book, go for a walk, listen to music, phone a friend. You have to make time for the little things in life.
  5. Learn to say “no”: It is ok to respectfully say “no”. When you stop accepting tasks out of guilt or a sense of obligation, you will have more time for things you actually want to do.

 

What to Do Next

I am a professional life coach and I love encouraging, motivating and inspiring my clients to achieve their goals and ambitions. If you think you could benefit from a motivation boost from a life coach then please get in touch with me at caroline@raisethebarlifecoaching.co.uk where I will be happy to arrange a free 30 minute mini life coaching session with you.