If your daily schedule is like the rubber band at capacity, then receiving an urgent request from your number one client - just as you’re putting on your coat to leave for a parent-teacher conference - is enough to make you feel as if you might snap. Expect the unexpected - Do you know what happens to a rubber band when it’s stretched to its capacity? All it takes from that point is one extra pull, and it will snap. Proactively scheduling your calendar - in one central system - will allow you to maintain better control of your work-life balance.ĥ. If it’s important to you that you attend your daughter’s parent-teacher conference, reserve that time on your calendar. on Thursday, you’ll be able to avoid booking a conference call with the Texas office at that time. If you see that you have already committed to take your mother to an important medical appointment at 3:00 p.m. Consolidate your calendar - While it may seem counterintuitive as you try to un-blur the line between work and life, keeping one calendar forces you to balance the two by not overbooking your schedule. in order to avoid after-school care for your kids.Ĥ. As long as you fulfill your responsibilities, see if your boss will allow you to work from 7:00 a.m. Ask for flex-time - When you’re juggling the demands of work and family, sometimes an hour on either end of your day can make all the difference in achieving work-life balance. Moving to a city with a lower cost of living could restore work-life balance by alleviating the pressure to work an unreasonable number of hours just to cover everyday expenses.ģ. Do you spend a lot of time commuting to work every day - or a hefty amount of your paycheck on private school tuition? If you are in the midst of a career shift, this might be a good time to think about relocating to an area that offers more convenience. Consider relocation - While not everyone has the ability to pack up their belongings and move, the truth is that some cities are more conducive to creating work-life balance than others. Whether it’s your car, your kitchen, or the elliptical machine, make sure your cell phone and laptop are out of earshot to eliminate work-induced distractions.Ģ. Designate work-free zones - Just as invisible fences protect pets from wandering into the street, you can create a metaphorical “fence” that prohibits work activity in a specific area of your home or life. As the stakes get higher, you might have to dig deeper for solutions. Still, you’re not feeling the work-life balance benefits. You’ve learned to say “no” to taking on unnecessary commitments and you’re even getting more (and better quality) sleep these days. Looking for New Ways to Achieve Work-Life Balance? While a growing number of companies are recognizing the many benefits of work-life balance, it remains up to you to keep the scale in check. According to a recent study, 65 percent of employees said that their manager expects them to be reachable outside of the office one in five survey respondents reported working 20 or more hours per week on their own time. Part of the problem is that technology has blurred the boundaries between work and home. The struggle to achieve a comfortable work-life balance is a common trigger of workplace stress and anxiety. Do you feel a constant tug-of-war between the competing demands of work and home? If so, you’re not alone.
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