Living a balanced life has long been touted as a key to achieving happiness and personal fulfillment, but for many, achieving it is easier said than done. From work to personal projects to obligations to family and friends, so many things and people demand our attention every day that it can be very difficult to carve out time for ourselves. Some of us may even be so unused to having free time that we have no idea what to do with it when we do get it.
Striking a healthy balance between work and personal time, in particular, is especially difficult in the current times. Workloads at many companies are heavier than ever, and many people also work side jobs or take on freelance projects to earn more income. Working from home is also an increasingly common practice that, while often convenient and productive for both workers and the organizations that employ them, also makes it difficult for a person to separate their job from their personal life.
While separating your personal life from work may be a daunting task, it’s also an absolute must to improve your overall health and well-being. The following simple but effective steps can help you start defining these important boundaries:
Dress Up for Work
The ways people choose to dress themselves often say a lot about their personality, their current state of mind, and the impression they want to project to the rest of the world. Hence, it’s important to put some thought into what you wear to work, whether your company dress code is business suits only or something more relaxed. When you pull on a nice dress shirt and a pair of tailored slacks or a cute A-line dress over some fashion tights, it can serve as a good reminder to bring your A-game to the office.
While you don’t technically need to get dressed if you work from home, doing so can help move you more fully into a work-focused state of mind. At the very least, it’s worthwhile not to start working in whatever old pajamas or loungewear you rolled out of bed in. Instead, take the time to put on a fresh set of clothes before clocking in. In addition to just being a good hygiene practice, changing your clothes can help you feel more focused, alert, and ready to face the challenges of the day.
Set Physical Boundaries
Keeping your work to the confines of a defined office space is an especially important work-life balance tip for remote workers. While a dedicated home office is always best, you can also set up shop in any quiet, out-of-the-way part of your house if you don’t have an extra room to spare. A part of your living room, your porch, or even a roomy laundry room or garden shed can work for this purpose. Make sure your chosen workspace has a desk or table, a comfortable chair, and whatever you need to organize your important files and notes, such as folders and filing cabinets.
While working in an office can already do a lot to help you establish more solid mental boundaries between your work and the rest of your life, you may also want to take things up a notch by constraining most of your regular tasks to your personal workstation. If you start bringing work into your office pantry or break room, for example, it may become more difficult for you to view that space as a place to rest and recharge.
Define Clear Work Hours
In a similar vein, setting hard limits on your work time is good for both your productivity and your mental well-being. If you know you should only be working within a predefined number of hours, it may be less tempting to waste those hours procrastinating. You’ll also have a clear target for when you should “unplug” and stop working on tasks related to your job or responding to work-related communications.
Try to end your work day with enough time to unwind. You can use those hours to savor a good meal, spend time with your loved ones or on your own, and prepare for a restful sleep.
Make Time for Self-Care
Rest, relaxation, and fun shouldn’t just be things you make time for when you don’t have something more pressing scheduled. Leisure and self-care are essential for your health and happiness and thus critical components of living a truly balanced life. Consciously making time for them is just as important as making time for work, errands, and other everyday responsibilities.
Jotting down one or two things you’d like to do for yourself each day is a good way to practice prioritizing your own well-being. Whether it’s engaging in a hobby, catching up with a friend, journaling, or something else, make sure you schedule this “me time” in the same way as you would any other important task. And when the time comes, do what you commit to—don’t set it aside because you feel the need to work “just a bit longer.”
The above suggestions may seem like common sense, but practicing them consistently until they become habits can go a long way. If you have a difficult time setting boundaries between your personal life and your professional life, taking simple steps is the best place to start.
