How to Find a Work Life Balance that Works for You

Finding a healthy work life balance is something we all struggle with at certain times in our lives. Trying to juggle professional work and personal responsibilities can become very overwhelming and could lead to unnecessary stress and even burnout. However, if you take the time to consider the right strategy and mindset, achieving a harmonious work life balance is within your reach. In this post we will explore the best strategies and practical tips that will help you find a work life balance.

Whether you are employed or self-employed, an office worker or a “work from homer” all of these tips and tricks can be applied to you.

As a business owner who works from home, personally, I found it very tricky to balance my work life and home life at the start. Over time I have discovered some really effective strategies that have allowed me to become so much more productive. In fact, I now work less hours than I ever used to, but I end up getting much more done!

I wish to share the tips and tricks that have worked for me the past few years so that you can find a work life balance that is beneficial to you.

The Importance of a Work Life Balance

Being able to strike the right balance between work commitments and your personal life has many benefits that extend far beyond just stress management. Personally, I believe finding a work life balance is a crucial part of what I like to call “adulting”, and without it, I am not sure how anyone can sustain a healthy lifestyle for more than a few weeks before burnout creeps in.

I am going to breakdown the benefits of finding a work life balance into three parts, as I think these are crucial parts of life that cannot be neglected. Getting caught up with work and pushing yourself to the limit may give you results in your professional career, but could have a detrimental impact on you and the life you have built around you.

Physical and Mental Wellbeing

We all know that stress is bad for us, but did you know long term stress can actually compromise your digestive, cardiovascular and even your immune systems? If you constantly expose yourself to high stress situations and do not manage it, you could face increased risk of heart attack or fertility problems in the future.

Not to mention how stress can cause insomnia and can result in depression. The bottom line is, if you want to avoid a whole myriad of possible health problems, you need to control your stress levels.

Finding a work life balance is one of the biggest factors that can impact stress and it is one of the few things that is actually within your control. Being able to make time for ample rest and relaxation, you can release the stress of the day and make sure you don’t just become a walking, working ball of stress!

You can even find time for activities that would actually promote good health and decrease your stress levels such as walking or swimming.

Increased productivity

More time at work does not necessarily mean more work is done. In fact, I am a big believer that a focused 4 hours of work will be much more productive than the usual, painful 8 hours of work.

When you have the free time to rest, relax and enjoy individual pursuits, you are much more likely to feel productive and refreshed when you sit down to work. It is documented that a well rested person is much more focused, creative and productive, compared to a person who is overworked and sitting at the same desk for most of the day.

Taking time out for yourself, and balancing your work with your life will actually improve the quality of your work, as well as your overall job satisfaction. So don’t feel guilty for taking time away from your desk!

healthy relationships

Focusing on work and neglecting personal relationships can put a strain on connections with loved ones and have a severe, negative impact on your life.

By finding a healthy work life balance, you will be able to dedicate time to nurturing those relationships and strengthening the bonds you share with your family, friends and/or partner. Many people underestimate the value of personal relationships, especially when they are up to their eyeballs in work commitments. But trust me when I say that in 5 or 10 years time, it is the relationships you had that will have the biggest impact on you, and not any job.

A strong support network is the key to getting through all the trials and triumphs of life, so make sure you prioritise your relationships, especially during the busy periods of your life.

How to Find a Work Life Balance

Now we will discuss the practical strategies you can use to find a work life balance. Keep in mind that your balance will be different to the next person’s, so take inspiration from these tips and see how you can apply them to your life and current situation.

Disconnect from work when you’re home

In the age of technology, it is becoming increasingly difficult to separate your work from your home. Your work emails come to your personal laptop, and suddenly your boss can text you about work even when you are off! This means that we are always on and we never get a proper break.

This is especially difficult if you work from home as you may be working in the same room that you sleep or relax in.

It is important that you set boundaries and create a real divide between your work and your home life. So set up a specific place for working if you can, logout of your work email on your personal laptop, and perhaps have a polite discussion with your boss about those out of hours work texts!

By separating your work from your home life you will be able to fully relax when you are not working and be able to fully focus when you are. It is a win win!

Time Management

Effective time management is key to achieving a work life balance. If you start the day with no plan at all then you will not spend your time efficiently, and are sure to end up overworking to get things done.

Make a plan for your day both during work and for after work so that you can prioritise your tasks, be productive and still have time for your personal interests.

I like to make a to do list for the day and then schedule the items on my list based on when I know I will be productive. This is an effective strategy, particularly for those of you who are self-employed. If you work better in the afternoon, then schedule the bulk of your work then and maybe schedule some personal time in the morning.

Make a schedule that works for you.

With this effective time management strategy you will increase productivity as well as your overall personal happiness.

Find time for yourself during work

This one may sound more tricky, but integrating breaks into your daily work schedule can help reduce your stress and boost your motivation.

And I don’t mean taking a 5 minute break whilst sat at your desk to scroll through tiktok! Try to take a proper break. Stand up, get away from your desk, maybe even go on a walk. Take a moment to hit the refresh button so that you can come back feeling revitalised and ready to get back to work.

If you work for yourself or have a very understanding boss, you could even see about taking a bigger break within the day if you feel like this would be more beneficial to you and your productivity.

I often take an hour or two off in the middle of the day so I can do something for myself. This way I feel like I am not “missing out” on the day or spending my whole life working.. I find I am much more productive on those days than on the days I do not take a break on.

delegate where you can

Obviously if you are self-employed, delegating work may prove to be tricky! But it is not impossible! Finding a way to automate part of your business is an effective way of delegating and could save you a lot of time.

To find a work life balance, not only can you delegate in work, but you can delegate in your home life too! Perhaps there is a more efficient way of dividing up the house work with your partner or housemates.

Understand that it is ok to seek support from your loved ones when you are overwhelmed. If you have a particularly bad work week, I am sure they will be happy to help you pick up the slack in your home life.

establish a healthy morning routine

The key to finding a work life balance lies not only in how you manage your work time, but how you use your free time too. Establishing a healthy morning routine can set you up for a very productive and fulfilling day.

I recently became a morning person and I am not exaggerating when I say that it changed my life! I wake up ready for the day ahead, and I have enough time in the morning to pursue some other healthy habits such as working out and meal prep.

In fact, I was so astounded with the impact this had on my life and my productivity that I wrote a post all about how you can become a morning person and how a morning routine will change your life. Make sure to give it a read if you want to use your mornings to your advantage, and never want to wake up feeling late and overwhelmed again!

and a productive evening routine

How you spend your evenings is just as, if not more important than how you spend your mornings. To be able to have the free time you deserve, you have to make sure your evening routine is a productive use of time in regards to your other personal responsibilities.

By establishing a solid evening routine, you can prepare for tomorrow, stay on top of life admin and make sure you are relaxed enough to get a quality night of sleep. This will ensure you are refreshed and ready to go in the morning.

I have found this to be invaluable when it comes to achieving a work life balance, as it is so easy to just laze around scrolling through social media after work. Before you know it you feel completely overwhelmed by every other task you have been neglecting, and suddenly all of life seems so much harder.

I have broken down my top 12 Ideas to Boost Productivity with your Evening Routine so that you can properly use your evenings to your advantage, and make the most out of your day.

assess your work life balance weekly

As I have touched on before, finding a work life balance is not a “one and done” thing. It is an ongoing process that will change and evolve with you and your life.

Sometimes work overtakes everything because of a big deadline or new boss, and sometimes work has to fall by the wayside whilst you prioritise situations in your personal life.

It is because of this constant ebbing and flowing that it is imperative that you assess your work life balance weekly. And more importantly, your happiness with your work life balance. As I said, they cannot be in perfect harmony 24/7, but it is important that you are happy with the balance of your life, and it is not causing you unnecessary stress.

If you are not happy with your work life balance this week, then you can take that idea and adapt and improve next week.

Conclusion

Learning how to find a work life balance is an ongoing, personal journey that requires constant effort and self awareness. But by prioritising yourself and managing your time effectively, you can create a life that seamlessly combines your work with your personal life.

Remember finding a work life balance is a continuous process that may feel impossible at times, so I encourage you to go easy on yourself and take time out to breathe along the way. This may not be an easy balancing act, but when done right, it will certainly be a rewarding one.