With many of us working from home, juggling more tasks than normal (both in our personal and professional life) the clear line between work and home, or work and life, has become a little (okay, a lot!) more blurred of late.
Because of this, and also the fast-pace of our modern world, it can be easy to forget the importance of a healthy work-life balance. Whether you believe in this idea or not, it’s important to ensure you’re looking after yourself and your time. We may not be able to create a perfect balance, and that’s okay. After all, it’s about progress, not perfection. But welcoming a smidge of balance back into your life can have such a huge impact on your overall wellbeing. So, if you’re feeling out of balance and are looking to take back a bit of control, here are a few of our favourite tips to keep in mind.
Remember, it’s our daily routines, habits and small everyday actions that define how calm – and in turn – productive we feel. When you have a plan for finding balance between the different areas of your life, it’s so much easier to work productively and find more time for what matters.
Define your values and goals
There are so many different things we could spend our time on if we choose to do so. The first step to taking control of your life and making time for yourself is to set goals and define your values. Write down three to five things that are important to you, from having time to exercise to spending quality time with loved ones or expressing your creativity. Then set achievable goals that will help you live a life in adherence with these values. E.g: Block out time in your diary or calendar or weekly schedule for these things. Communicate these block-out times with your manager and colleagues or anyone who needs to know. Make these your non-negotiable tasks. Check back in with yourself weekly as this will help you set boundaries and focus on the things that matter to you.
Schedule in ‘me-time’ as well as the rest of your time
In the same way you schedule in meetings or work events, be sure to block out time to exercise, socialise or even just relax in your diary. Making time for yourself is just as important and when you treat it as a priority, you won’t be tempted to let work cut into your personal time.
Make an effort to schedule regular breaks in your day and try to switch off from work at the end of the day, if you can help it. Schedule a lunch break each day (and take it) if you find you’re often eating at odd times or worse yet, skipping lunch all together. Don’t eat at your desk and make it your mission to switch off at a reasonable time at the end of each day.
Set your morning routine
Great days start with great morning routines. There’s nothing worse for your wellbeing than starting each day stressed and rushing. Why not set your alarm a little earlier so you have time to make a healthy breakfast, prepare lunch or to exercise or meditate? You’ll be amazed at the difference doing this can make to your mood during the day.
Get more sleep
Of course, getting up earlier starts with going to sleep at a set time if you can. Everyone needs a different amount of sleep so work out how much your body needs and then make sure you get into bed on time (most nights anyway). Cut out digital distractions at least an hour before bedtime if possible and enjoy welcoming better-quality sleep into your life.
Set boundaries
This is a big one, and can be hard to implement. But remember, finding balance in your life means knowing what to say yes to and when to say no. Explore different ways you can set boundaries in your life and love the feeling of having more control over your time. This could mean anything from only checking emails twice a day to not responding to work questions after hours. Saying no sometimes means you’ll have more time and energy for bigger projects and ideas.
Choose you, and do it without guilt.
As the saying goes, ‘self-care is never selfish’. And trying to create more of a healthy balance in your life is more certainly a form of self-care. It’s okay to choose you and what makes you feel good. As we try to keep every aspect of life under control, and sometimes even other’s lives under control, it’s easy to skip the things that not only make us feel good, but the things we need to maintain our wellbeing. When really, if we look after ourselves and are careful with our time, we’ll feel so much better and will be of so much more use to others as well!
We hope these ideas inspire you and help you find more balance in your days. We don’t believe in a truly perfect balance as such (after all, nothing is perfect), but we do believe working towards more balance in your days can help.
If you found this helpful and are looking for even more information and ideas on managing your time as well as being more productive each day, be sure to listen to the wonderful conversation Kristina Karlsson has with Cyril Peupion in Episode 37 of Your Dream Life Podcast.
And don’t forget, we also have plenty of wonderful products to help you plan your time, schedule your days, look after your self-care and more, so don’t forget to explore kikki.K online or in store.
