Here's how you can achieve work-life balance as a facility manager in the FM industry.

Prioritizing activities involves identifying what's urgent and important. Start by listing tasks, then rank them based on deadlines, significance, and impact. Evaluate how much time and mental energy each task requires, prioritizing those that are time-sensitive or demanding. You can use also prioritizing frameworks like the Eisenhower Matrix.

As a member of the Facility Management Team, one cannot accomplish all tasks at once. Therefore, it is essential to prepare a To-Do List and prioritize the points according to their urgency. If two or more tasks need immediate attention, delegate them to the team and ensure timely completion.

To ensure that work is completed on time, we need to note tasks on calendars along with daily To-Do Lists. Assign a specific time for each task and transition to the next task promptly, while keeping the allotted time in mind. By following this practice, we can feel satisfied with our accomplishments at the end of the day.

Time management is essential. You only have 24 hours in a day. You need to plan your tasks, prioritise them and allot time slots during the day. Before you leave your place of work for the day, you should already have planned your next day. Do not try to cram up many tasks in a short time. You will not be able to complete them or you may not be able to put in your best effort. This may also lead to burnout. Adequate time should be allocated for breaks. This is necessary for recharging yourself. Manage your time wisely.

As a member of the Facility Management Team, it can be challenging to completely disconnect from work during non-office hours or holidays. However, by training our subordinates effectively, communicating about personal holidays well in advance, and setting up automated email replies to direct inquiries to the next assigned person in our absence, one can engage in their personal life.

⏰ Prioritize tasks: Identify urgent and important tasks, delegate when possible, and allocate time efficiently. 📅 Schedule effectively: Use calendars or time management tools to plan work tasks and personal activities. 🚶♂️ Take breaks: Incorporate short breaks throughout the day to recharge and avoid burnout. 🏋️♂️ Maintain boundaries: Set clear boundaries between work and personal life to prevent overworking. 💼 Delegate responsibility: Empower team members by assigning tasks and trusting them to handle responsibilities. 🌱 Personal development: Invest in hobbies, exercise, or relaxation techniques to reduce stress and maintain well-being. ⏰📅🚶♂️🏋️♂️💼🌱💡

You cannot do it all and you shouldn’t have to, that’s why FM is a team task. In my experience, my balance was way off because I was trying to do more than I could handle or to put it more clearly, trying to compensate for other team members or ensure the quality of output by doing more tasks than I should have. I think achieving work life balance starts with have a solid balanced sense of self that will allow you not only manage your duties but also how your team and their tasks get completed. Everyone needs to do their part, I am not encouraging conflict but it goes a long way to stand up for yourself. You can priorities but as long as you are doing way too many tasks, its bound to fail, set those healthy boundaries.

Learn to say NO, but give options. FM can do anything and everything but sometimes its safer to say no. We can help by saying yes but sometimes saying no is much better.