Technology has changed our lives. With the push of a button we order food, call a taxi, or arrange a rendezvous. Everything has become easier in the age of technology, but we also live in a world in which we are constantly connected.
The search for the balance between professional and private life is on everyone’s lips as if the two were mutually exclusive. Of course, private life doesn’t just stop when you come to work on Monday morning – and starts again after work. Nevertheless, this is the prevailing opinion. This attitude means that we work too much and neglect our own well-being.
With the following five tips, the balance between work and private life succeeds:
Contents
1. Stand by your own needs
The first step to changing the situation in the workplace for the positive is a thorough analysis. Ask yourself if you can achieve the highest level of productivity you are capable of. When analyzing the situation, you should mentally take a step back to grasp the big picture. This is the only way to tell what needs to be done so that your work situation changes for the better. Many of us are not aware that there can be such a thing as an unbalanced relationship. Only you can decide what your balance should look like. Once your analysis is done, you should trust your boss,
2. Respect the balance
Once you have become aware of the necessary changes, have spoken to your boss and understood the mutual needs, it is time to respect the new balance. If it is clear to you that the way to more balance is linked to a working end at 5 p.m., then you should do just that. While that’s not set in stone, you should still make it your habit. This makes it easier for you to resist the temptation to stay longer. The emails can wait until tomorrow, nothing is as urgent as it claims to be and in the end, you do it for yourself. If you are used to working until 6 or 7 p.m., it is certainly not easy. But routines can be broken and changed. Keep going! They deserved it!
3. Manage the time
Many of us are overworked because we neglect our time management. The to-do list quickly fills up with items such as “writing an email to Tom” or “preparing a presentation briefing for the team” – while there is no more time or space on the list for activities such as sports or looking after your own needs leftover. If you really want to optimize your work-life balance, you have to set priorities and plan time for yourself in addition to time for work. No more multitasking! Concentrate on one activity, do your best and only then move on to the next one. One useful technique that helps you finish your tasks and meet deadlines is by using a tomato timer that can also help improve your attention span and concentration.
4. Learn to say no
We often suffocate at work and still feel compelled to say “yes” when a colleague or manager asks us for something. Each of us has already said “yes”, although we actually meant “no”. Regardless of whether it is the desire to please someone, the fear of hurting someone or the desire for power – the bottom line is a revision and overwhelming. Saying “no” without guilt is not an easy task, but it is all the more rewarding. A good approach is to simply say “no” and briefly explain the rejection. If necessary, you can suggest a different type of support that you find more practical (or more convenient) and that is possible for you in the desired time window.
5. Follow your own goals
Saying no and good time management certainly contribute to coping better with working life. However, in a world where we spend most of our time at work, it’s just as important to let go of it and pursue our passions. So if you like climbing or going to karaoke, there should be enough space in the diary so that you can let off steam. Take a few weeks off from your schedule and plan a trip to a place you love, where you have long wanted to go, or just to visit friends or family. I would like to point out to you one more thing that you should visit the lodge if you are especially suffering from any discomfort. It’s a perfect excuse to interrupt the cycle, get behind the wheel or be driven in a position where there’s no stress.