How to Maintain Work-Life Balance

How to Maintain Work-Life Balance

Australians overall are working less hours than ever before but that is not because they have achieved work-life balance. It is only because more and more people are working part-time not full time. Last year workers averaged 34 hours and 40 minutes a week.

Today around one in three employees are part-time. Most part-time workers are women. To be classified as a full-time worker in Australia you need to work more than 35 hours a week. Full-time workers are still working long hours – full-time men work about 44 hours a week, while full-time women work almost 40 hours a week. That is a big week! However many part-time workers also feel that they are working too hard. Often they feel they have the duties and responsibilities of a full-time job but they are only working part-time hours.

How do you maintain work-life balance, and not let work over-run your personal life?

Here are my top tips:

2. Cut out time-wasting activities

To free up more time at work to actually get jobs done, you have to be ruthless and cut out time-wasting activities. Do you have long waffly conversations with co-workers that should only take five minutes? Do you spend too long preparing graphics and illustrations for reports that no one notices? Are you attending meetings that don’t directly relate to your projects? Do an audit of what you do at work and cut-out the time wasting activities. Also you need to learn to say the word ‘no’.  Don’t be too nice and say yes to every request. Guard your time!

The same is true for out-of-work activities. It is important to do things for the community, but do not over-commit yourself. Perhaps your children do dance, sport and a craft activity after school. Do not volunteer to help with every one of these activities – just pick one!

Just let it go sometimes

Were you ambitious and a perfectionist when you first started work? It’s easier to be a perfectionist when you are young, single and childless. It’s not so easy when you hold a senior position and have a partner and children. You just have to let it go! Let go of perfectionism.

Executive coach Dr Marilyn Puder-York is the author of The Office Survival Guide. “As life gets more expanded it’s very hard, both neurologically and psychologically, to keep that habit of perfection going,” Dr Puder-York says.

2. Switch off the laptop and your phone

Work is a bottomless pit. There is always more and more to do, but sometimes you just have to step away. Stop taking calls, stop replying to emails, ignore your text messages and just totally unplug. Too much exposure to electric devices is bad for your health and can interrupt sleep patterns.  “There are times when you should just shut your phone off and enjoy the moment,” says Robert Brooks, a professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School. Prof Brooks says that phone notifications interrupt your off time and inject an undercurrent of stress in your system.  Switch off from work and enjoy quality time alone or with family. As they say, ‘Work hard and play hard’ but don’t work half-heartedly while you should be playing!

3. Allocate time for exercise, prayer and/or meditation

Exercise and mental health time is not a luxury you have to sneak into your day – it’s an essential. If you want to maintain your health and your sanity you need to exercise and take care of your head. Research shows that exercise helps you remain alert. Exercising will in the long run enable you to get more things done. Studies have found that exercise releases endorphins, boosts energy, and increases your ability to concentrate.

4. Work from home

How much more productive would you be if you could work from home one or two days a week. Sometimes just travelling to work can be tiring, so if you can work from home you are automatically reserving some energy. You are also not distracted by co-workers while working from home. You may find that your boss is open to the idea. Many workplaces now have progressive ideas about working from home. Ask about your company’s policies on flexitime and working from home. If you’re a good worker, you have a strong chance of negotiating an arrangement that works for both you and your employer.

5. Prioritise what is important

In the big scheme of things what is important to you? Money or family? Love or professional standing? You know what your values are, so act on them. Do not neglect the people you love. Make sure you are home for dinner every night and your mobile phone is off. Set aside time to help your children with their homework. Set aside time to walk the dog. Guard this time! Do not allow work commitments to start eating into this time.

6. Set work hours and keep to them!

Set your work hours and stick to them. Get out of the office on time. Get out of the office while there is still daylight. And do not feel guilty. You are not a super hero. You can’t do it all and be it all. The most important thing is that you are there for family.

7. Go on holidays

Make time for an annual holiday and arrange long-weekend holidays at least every three months. Yes, a long weekend every couple of months is better than nothing. Also during your regular week, do something you love – other than work – and devote time to it. Enjoying a hobby will energise and refresh you, and nurturing your creative side is essential to productivity.

Finally, remember the consequences of not maintaining work-life balance – burn-out. You may think you are serving your company, but destroying yourself is not doing your work or yourself any favours!