WORK-LIFE BALANCE

Work life balance? There is no such thing, some companies tout it because work life programs are in vogue. In reality all we have is seasons; you may work harder in some than others.

BUT you do need to separate work and personal life. Sadly, many workers simply lack the self-discipline to set proper boundaries between work and home.

Below are four compelling reasons why you should:

Less Stress -

When there’s little separation between work and your personal life, it can feel like you’re always working–even on nights, weekends, and holidays. As a result, you never get the chance to fully recharge your batteries, which can leave you feeling cranky and out-of-sorts.

Even better, because you’ve prioritized your personal needs, you feel less anxious and subsequently better equipped to tackle professional challenges during your normal work hours.

Greater Job Fulfillment -

It’s all too easy to start hating your job when work constantly intrudes on your personal time. And nobody wants to spend 40 hours (or more) each week doing something they can’t stand.

Happier Outlook -

Happiness is important for your mental wellbeing, but it does so much more than just giving you a positive outlook. For instance, happiness is also linked to greater creativity, stronger relationships, higher earnings, and better physical health.

Greater Productivity -

If you’re like most people, you believe that the more time spent working, the more productive you are. Sorry to burst your bubble but actually, there’s a large body of research that says otherwise. In fact, some experts suggest that 35 hours is the optimal work week–anything after that, and productivity starts to decline.

While it sounds counterintuitive, scientists suspect that people who are overworked may be less efficient, because they’re stressed out and fatigued. Alternatively, they might be getting more work accomplished in the morning, but as the day drags on, their focus starts to deteriorate. As a result, they make more mistakes, and their productivity slows because they’re forced to do rework.

A couple of strategies for keeping work separate from your personal life:

Use Technology Wisely -

Develop a Power Down Ritual for each evening before you leave your office…and stick to it. A Power Down Ritual is a fixed set of actions and behaviors that mentally and physically mark the end of your professional day.

An example of my fixed sequence looks like this:

•        Check email for any final requests requiring action.

•        Check the calendar and task lists for the following day.

•        Complete 15 minutes of prep work for initial priority tasks of the following morning. Organize tomorrow today.

•        Close down all applications and technology for the night.

Establish Boundaries and Set Regular Working Hours - 

You’ll also want to set your colleagues straight by telling them upfront what they can expect when they contact you. For example, you might explain that you only respond to voicemails during working hours unless it’s an emergency.

Now remember that once you’ve established these boundaries, it’s important to stick to them–otherwise, they won’t have much of an impact. So, if a coworker calls you on the weekend for a routine topic, do exactly what you said you would and wait until Monday to respond. By beginning and ending work at the same time every day, you’ll find it easier to keep work separate from your personal life.