5 Tips to Achieve Work-Life Balance

Guest Post by Nonarae Alvina Clausing, Blogger at From Poor to Prosperity

Balancing work and life is HARD. This is true even if you are single, or are married but without kids. If you are reading this, you are probably trying to figure out how to achieve work-life balance.  But by now you probably know that it’s not as easy as some people make it look! If you need help taking steps in this direction, keep reading for a few tips that will surely help you feel more balanced.

1. Organization is Key.

One thing that can be a game changer in your quest for work-life balance is organization. When you have a clean and clutter free office, house, or work area, you can focus better, feel more relaxed, and be more productive.  Clearing out clutter also reduces anxiety, which in turn, can improve your mood and the mood of those around you.  This contributes to maintaining better relationships with the people who surround you, either at home, or at work.

But being organized is an ongoing task.  Once your home, office or work space is organized, make sure to keep it that way! Getting into the habit of doing little things on a daily basis, like clearing your desk before you leave the office, or rinsing off your plate after eating, goes a long way in maintaining a clean and organized space.  If you tackle the mess and clutter little by little on a daily basis, you can prevent it from becoming overwhelming.  It will then be easier and faster for you whenever you have to straighten out your entire office, or when you do a deep clean of your full house.

2. Establish Routines.

Many people think routines make life boring.  They don’t want to wake up every day, do the same things as the day before, and then go to bed. Routines can, however, be extremely helpful in achieving work-life balance. Developing routines for different things that you do on a regular basis makes life much easier. Routines create habits, and habits allow you to perform regular tasks more efficiently, without having to put too much thought or effort into them. This means you don’t have to work harder just to remember what needs to be done. Practicing a routine when waking up, working, cleaning, making a budget, or spending time with family, etc., just makes life easier. You can get more done, do it better, and with less effort.

3. Practice Time Blocking.

A key to achieving work-life balance is time-blocking. Time blocking is an easy concept to learn, and can be an extremely effective tool. All you must do is make a list of everything that you plan to do, assign time limits to each, and then block time for those specific tasks in your calendar.  If you block out time in your calendar to do the tasks that you must complete during the day, you have a much better chance of getting all the things on your list done.  Try planning out your days a week in advance, then check your schedule on a daily basis and update if necessary.

4. Be Focused.

Whether you are at work or at home, be focused on the task at hand.  Many people erroneously believe that when they multi-task they get more done.  Nothing is farther from the truth.  It has been shown that a person can only do one thing at a time (at least if they want to do it right).  Make sure you are focused on the task you are performing, and eliminate distractions.  You will be surprised how much faster you can complete a task or project if you are fully focused on it. Focus is key to efficiency, and efficiency helps you complete tasks faster.

5. Take a Break.

If you are stressed, your body will tell you. You might get sick regularly, or have a difficult time getting out of bed. Chances are you know where that stress is coming from. And you probably feel stuck, like there is no end or hope in sight.  It’s important to take a break.  If you can, take a vacation, or take an extra day off for an extended weekend. Take a day for yourself to de-stress and re-balance your life.  

If your parental responsibilities or your home environment are a source of stress, consider whether family members or close friends can care for your children for a few hours or overnight while you take some time away.  Sometimes you just need to take a moment for yourself so life doesn’t feel so chaotic.

Final Thoughts.

Ultimately, there is no such thing as true work-life balance, but we should try to achieve harmony in our lives. Every season of life that we go through is different, and you will feel more balanced or less balanced depending on the particular circumstances of the moment. But the truth is, if something is feeling out of whack you will know. I hope that these tips will help you get your life back in order and start enjoying every moment again!

Nonarae specializes in personal finance, and in her blog From Poor to Prosperity she focuses on writing about personal finances for recovering addicts.