Your well-being is more critical now than ever. With blurred lines of work and life, many are struggling to strike the right balance of on- and off-hours. With the œnormal rhythms of life disrupted and our survival instincts kicked to high gear, many of us have been forced to reconsider the boundaries of work and life.
Technology makes employees available around-the-clock to their co-workers and family members. Fears of job loss drives people to work longer hours. In fact, the phrase œbusiness hours is no longer a reality for many. To help alleviate those pains, here are five ways to strike the right chord when it comes to leading a more balanced life during the pandemic.
Tip 1: Don't be an overachiever
As children, we develop perfectionist habits due to the limited time we have juggling school, hobbies and after-school work. Being an adult means a growing list of responsibilities. With limited time, we learn to forgo many of our obsessive tendencies. Especially during the pandemic, many of us were forced to rethink the way we handle and spend our offline hours. Make a list of goals to achieve for the day, week and month. This will help reorient your efforts to what matters most.
Tip 2: Disconnect
From meeting requests to email notifications to text alerts, it seems impossible to have a minute to yourself. The workday seems to never end. It's important to make quality time whenever possible, however possible. Try not to text, read work emails or scroll your social media feed while socializing with family and friends. These are times to shut your phone off and enjoy the present moment.
Tip 3: Maintain a healthy schedule
Even if you're busy, it's important to make time for the important things in life. Put the brakes and take stock of the basics, and look for ways to add healthy relaxation into your routine. If your schedule is tight, learn to take meditative breaths while working. In the evening, instead of relaxing with a glass of wine, try a different form of stress reduction. For example, listen to relaxing jazz music or some classical tunes.
Tip 4: Spend your time wisely
Start by identifying what your priorities are in life. Every individual has a different list, so it's important to reflect on your own, not someone else's. Once your list is established, learn to draw firm boundaries, so you can devote quality time to the important people and past-time activities in your life. If you find your time wasted by less productive and constructive people, excuse yourself politely and draw clearer boundaries. A great way to feel fulfilled is to focus on the right activities and people who bring you greater satisfaction.
Tip 5: Re-shift your focus
From time to time, try to take a step back and ask: what adjustments could make my life better?
When you have limited time on your hands, find ways to delegate tasks or outsource them to others around you. Talking to key individuals in your life, including coworkers at work or a spouse or partner could help you in identifying opportunities for growth in your life (and others around you!).
Tip 6: Be SMART
We've all had those experiences: workout plans that fizzle out or New Year's resolutions we forget about by the end of February. The key to ensuring you stick with a plan is setting SMART goals. These are time management tools used to define clear and reachable goals:
Specific Measurable Achievable Relevant Time-based
Being SMART is about setting goals that are clear, trackable, attainable, applicable and deadline oriented.
Tip 7: Explore your workplace's benefits program
NFP's benefits experts help employers develop a road map and roll out the specific support that best matches your business's needs alongside the tools to effectively analyze, manage and adjust that program over time.
For more information, visit NFP.ca