As COVID forced so many Americans home, and juggling more responsibilities than ever, many were forced to see just how unbalanced their lives had been\u2014and how much difference true balance could make in their health and happiness!<\/p>\n
If you haven\u2019t yet had that realization, now is a perfect time\u2014as it\u2019s Get a Balanced Life month, a prime opportunity to take a good, hard look at your work, your life and how they intermingle. Given that we\u2019re at the start of a brand new year, you have even more motivation to make balance a top priority. Even if you don\u2019t have that named as a \u201cresolution\u201d for 2023, many of the most common goals we all share at the start of a year\u2014to work out more or eat better, spend time with friends and family, go after that big career move you keep thinking about\u2014all could be closer to being achieved if we truly make balance a reality.<\/p>\n
So, how can you go from just talking about work\/life balance to actually achieving it? A lot of it comes down to setting some hard and fast rules\u2014and holding yourself to them! For instance, if you have the opportunity to take on shifts when they open up, commit ahead of time to only working a certain number of hours, and scheduling in purposeful days away from work. While it can be tempting to work to your limit to earn and save, oftentimes, we may work past our limits\u2014and that\u2019s when balance can really be thrown into limbo!<\/p>\n
Apart from avoiding overworking, unplugging is also a key part of achieving proper balance. Many of us are glued to devices around the clock (when we\u2019re not on the clock!), which can make it far too easy to check in on work emails and team chats, or tackle our growing to do lists. Put the phone down! When you\u2019re not physically at work, you shouldn\u2019t be there mentally. When you get home, keep your phone or other devices out of social spaces like the living room and kitchen\u2014so you can be you<\/em> without still being at work.<\/p>\n Perhaps most important in pursuing balance is finding a job that fits your life\u2014with the flexibility and autonomy you both want and need! If you don\u2019t feel like you have that in your current role, be proactive about talking to supervisors to see if they can meet you where you are. Otherwise, be open to new opportunities, and make your own happiness and health your priorities as you head down that path.<\/p>\n It\u2019s no stretch to say that your health can be tightly tied to how much balance you have (or don\u2019t have!) in your life. Everything from chronic illness to depression and anxiety can be impacted by stress and burnout, which often can be avoided by drawing stronger boundaries between your work and home lives. So, take steps to invest in your health: Make exercise a part of your life, explore stress-relieving activities like yoga and be proactive about getting screenings.<\/p>\n When you\u2019re used to working hard, slowing down and focusing on your own health and well-being may feel a little uncomfortable. But, when you invest in yourself, you\u2019re better able to understand your own purpose, align your life and work around it and, ultimately, lead a balanced and fulfilling life.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In the last few years, the term \u201cwork\/life balance\u201d has become a common part of the American vocabulary. As COVID forced so many Americans home, and juggling more responsibilities than ever, many were forced to see just how unbalanced their lives had been\u2014and how much difference true balance could make in their health and happiness!…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":15909,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6,19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11484","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-work-life"],"yoast_head":"\n