Off Balance

5 WAYS TO A BETTER WORK-LIFE BALANCE

Let’s be straight; Today’s work-life balance is so lopsided it’s basically teetering on an edge. We’re walking a tightrope trying to keep all our balls in the air. It’s exhausting and many of us find ourselves sinking into a mentality loop of I must be better, try harder, be successful, stay later, start earlier, finish this… but it’s no way to live our lives to the full.

By Djacinta van der Meulen

We’re falling into a life where our work takes precedent over everything else in our lives. With our desire to succeed professionally while being the best that we can be and always striving to fit more in and a culture where working hard is promoted as the best path to success…it can leave us forgetting about our own wellbeing. Creating a harmonious work-life balance is critical to improving not only our physical, emotional and mental health, but our career health too.

The first thing to remember when finding your work-life balance is that there is no perfect balance.

Many people think that a “work-life balance” consists of having a particularly productive day at work then leaving early to spend the other half of the day with friends and family. While this may seem ideal, it is not always, and most often, possible. Don’t strive for the perfect schedule; strive for a realistic one. Some days, you might focus more on work, while others you might have more time and energy to pursue your

hobbies or spend time with your loved ones. Balance is achieved over time, not each day.

It is said that people who have a better healthy lifestyle can be more productive, miss less work and have fewer healthcare-related expenses. Employers who are committed to providing environments that support a work-life balance for their employees can save on costs, experience fewer cases of sick leave, and enjoy a more loyal and productive workforce.

Some ways an employer can show their support is by encouraging workplace activities. This could be in the form of BBQ’s and morning teas or days set aside to bring your dog to work, wear your pj’s, special dress-up days, really anything where you’re getting together and enjoying a moment being supportive and socialising as a group.

It is important to remember that not everyone’s work-life balance looks the same, and not everyone divides their work and personal life directly in half. Work-life balance is less about neatly dividing the hours in your day between work and personal life and more about having the flexibility to get things done in your professional life while still having time and energy to enjoy your personal life. Having flexibility means that some days you might work longer hours so you can create time later in the week to enjoy other activities.

Regardless of how you organise your time, you should place high importance on creating a balance to be successful at work and in your personal life.

PRIORITISING YOUR HEALTH

Your overall physical, emotional and mental health should be your number one priority when balancing work and life. As more and more people find themselves struggling with anxiety and depression, it is imperative that you find ways to manage this day to day; be it with professional therapy, friend therapy, exercise, yoga, meditation, whatever works for you. You may need to find time in your day to leave work early or ditch your evening plans to take time to care for yourself.

If you battle with an illness, chronic issues, cold and flu, migraines, don’t be afraid to call in sick to ensure you are taking adequate restful time to recover. Overworking yourself prevents you from getting better, which can possibly lead to you having to take more days off in the future.

Prioritising your health first and foremost will make you a better employee and person. You will miss less work, and when you are there, you will be happier and more productive. It doesn’t have to be a radical or extreme activity, it can be as simple as taking time to breathe, meditate or take a walk.

ONE IN SEVEN AUSTRALIANS WILL EXPERIENCE DEPRESSION IN THEIR LIFETIME. ONE QUARTER OF AUSTRALIANS WILL EXPERIENCE AN ANXIETY CONDITION IN THEIR LIFETIME (1) ONE IN FIVE AUSTRALIANS (21%) HAVE TAKEN TIME OFF WORK IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS BECAUSE THEY FELT STRESSED, ANXIOUS, DEPRESSED OR MENTALLY UNHEALTHY. (2)

TIME TO UNPLUG

We live in a connected world that never sleeps. Cutting ties with the outside world from time to time allows us to recover from weekly stress and gives us space for other thoughts and ideas to emerge. Unplugging can be something simple like reading a book on your daily commute, taking time to play with the family or going for a walk.

It’s about giving yourself time to decompress and taking steps to prevent potential burnout. Taking time to unwind is critical to success and will help you feel more energised when you’re on the clock.

Sometimes, truly unplugging means taking vacation time and shutting work off for a while. Your vacation may be as short as a one-day staycation or as extensive as a two-week trip to Bali. Whichever you choose, it’s important to take time off to physically and mentally recharge.

We are often worried that taking time off will disrupt out workflow and on our return we will be met with a backlog of work that seems mountainous and never ending. This fear should not restrict you from taking a much needed break.

The truth is, there is no nobility in not taking well deserved time away from work;; the benefits of taking a day off far outweigh the downsides. With proper planning, you can take time away without worrying about burdening your colleagues or contending with a huge work load when you return.

BALANCE IS ACHIEVED OVER TIME, NOT EACH DAY

MAKING TIME FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR LOVED ONES

While your job is important, it shouldn’t take over your entire life. You were an individual before taking this position, and you shouldn’t forget the activities and hobbies that make you happy. Achieving this work-life balance requires deliberate action.

If you don’t firmly plan for personal time, you will never have time to do other things outside of work. No matter how hectic your schedule might be, it is ultimately you who have the control of your own time and life.

When planning time with loved ones, try creating a set time or calendar for romantic and family dates. It may seem weird to plan one-on-one time with someone you live with, but it will ensure that you spend quality time with them without interruptions or excuses. Just because work keeps you busy doesn’t mean you should neglect personal relationships.

No one at your company is going to love you the way your loved ones do. And as hard as it is to hear and appreciate, unfortunately the fact is is that everyone is replaceable at work. No matter how important you think

your job is, the company will likely not miss a beat tomorrow if you are gone. Your loved ones, and yourself, on the other hand, will always be there, so it is important to make the time for them.

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It’s important to set boundaries for yourself to avoid overworking and burnout. When you leave the office, stop thinking about upcoming projects or answering company emails. This may consist of physically removing work related objects from your home space like a work computer or phone or maybe shutting down remote access to the work server at a certain time. If that isn’t possible, use separate browsers, emails or filters for your work and personal platforms.

It is also important to set specific work hours. Whether you work in an office, shop, car or at home, it is important to determine when you will work and when you will switch off; otherwise, you might find yourself answering work-related emails late at night, during vacations or on weekends off.

It also helps to speak to your manager and colleagues about your boundaries so they can understand the importance for your (and their own) balance. This will help to ensure that they understand and respect your workplace limits and expectations.

SETTING GOALS AND PRIORITIES

Setting achievable goals that you are passionate about will help in finding your balance; and this goes for career, health and relationship goals. Think about what tasks are most important for achieving a positive and healthy work-life balance and prioritise these. Make your workday as productive as possible by applying time management tactics and analysing your to-do list; what’s important now, what can be put off until a later date, what can be cut out that will add no value to you or your work.

When are you most productive at work?

This is the time to block off for you to work on your most important activities. Don’t check your emails and put your phone on busy to ensure you are not distracted by those timewasting tasks that derail your attention and productivity. Structuring your day can increase productivity at work, which can result in more free time to relax outside of work. Regardless of what your goals and priorities are, make sure that they are conducive to a healthy work-life balance.

BALANCE

It is important to understand that a work-life balance will mean different things to different people because, after all, we all have different work and life commitments. In our always-on world, balance is a very personal thing and only you can decide the lifestyle that suits you best.

If you want to speak to someone, contact Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636 