5 Tips for Finding Work-Life Balance

A healthy balance between work and life also helps us be more efficient in both worlds. When we are able to balance life and work, we become more creative and resourceful. Sometimes, this could mean the difference between meeting a tight deadline or closing that deal.

We've written down five tips to help you maintain the healthy balance between life and work so that both can thrive. If you feel like you are not able to achieve or maintain a healthy work-life balance, give these tips a try. It might help with figuring out what's standing in your way, so you can develop strategies to overcome whatever obstacle is holding you back.

1. Be mindful of your health. It's hard to strike a healthy balance between your professional and personal lives when you're unhealthy. If you feel like you are working hard but not seeing the results that you want, examine your lifestyle to see if it's sustainable. Determine if your diet is lacking, if you are getting enough sleep or if exercise is part of your routine. In the same vein, if you are feeling overwhelmed with personal responsibilities, take care of your health by examining your lifestyle as well. Try reducing alcohol consumption to the happy hours and taking a break from the noise that and distractions that comes along with social media. Perhaps you need to revisit those workout plans that have been on hold for months. Or maybe just pick up a Waves puzzle. You know, just saying.
   

2. Take a step back from work. Taking time off from work to recharge is essential, especially when you are feeling stressed or overworked. This can help you catch up with personal needs so that productivity never drops off anywhere else in your life. Balance is key to performing at your best - and that goes for all areas of your life. Some companies are instituting programs that give employees paid leave to spend time with their families so that they can achieve a greater work-life balance. They do this because they know it increases work satisfaction and overall performance in the long-run. So next time you are thinking of taking that break for yourself, you can rest assured that your team, employer, network, or family, will all benefit from it.
   

3. Set limits for your workday. When you have a job or business, it's easy to get consumed by the work day. Some projects may even feel like there is always more work to be done. This might especially true when you have a tight deadline, which requires you to spend extra hours in the office or bring it home after hours. It's key to set limits around the amount of time you spend working to create a healthy balance between your personal life and work. This could mean working from home, or changing the environment, or taking extra days off even if you feel like you can stomach the stress.

4. Create time for yourself. If you are feeling overwhelmed with work or other responsibilities, it's also important to take some time to yourself. This could mean going to a yoga studio, getting a hair appointment or watching your favorite Netflix series. In the same vein, if you are feeling overworked at home, make time for yourself to relax and unwind. This may seem trivial in the face of so many other responsibilities, but it can help restore balance to your life and returning to the task at hand with a fresh mind.
   

5.  Get active. This might go well with being healthier, but we are talking about actually moving your body here. When we have a healthy balance between our work and personal lives, we suffer less stress and anxiety as a result. When we are stressed, our bodies produce cortisol that can create a vicious cycle. Not only does stress make it harder to attain a healthy balance between home and work, but it also has an adverse effect on the body. One the best ways to mitigate the effects of stress is to move your body and get active. Any type of exercise helps. We aren't saying train like an Olympian, but maybe take a brisk walk a few times a week. See if you find it in yourself to set aside some time at least three times per week to get active and move your body. Your body and mind will thank you, and the fruits of your labor will show it!
   

Work-life balance doesn't happen overnight, but if you are dedicated to achieving it there are ways that you can get there. You can start by treating yourself better and being pro-active about creating balance. You will eventually embrace those amazing aspects of yourself that you thought were lost, but were able to rediscover.