When was the last time you lugged that briefcase home to work down that mountain of paperwork during what should be your family time or pushed beyond bedtime to keep up with work obligations that cannot wait? When done on occasion, these habits are generally not cause for concern. However, when work obligations regularly spill into your personal downtime, you will find it difficult to maintain a balanced work and personal life. But there is good news. With some effort, you can trim back and simplify your schedule to achieve the balance you need and make time for things that truly matter in life. Here are five ways to get you started:
Say Good-Bye to ‘Round-The-Clock Ties
You may have stopped bringing work home with you. However, unless you have turned off the email alerts on your smartphone after you have left the office or removed your personal phone number from your email signature line, work will find you when you are trying to enjoy an evening out with family or relaxing with friends. Set boundaries. Make it a goal to leave work at the office and take back your early mornings, evenings, and weekends for your personal time. Unless Grandma’s house is on fire, nothing is so important that it cannot wait until the morning.
Embrace The Power of ‘No’
This one is not easy. Everyone wants to be seen as MVP or most-valuable-whatever in the office, but saying ‘Yes’ most of the time when you should say ‘No’ to a project will only overtax your schedule and lead to increased stress. Compromise, delegate, and learn to politely turn down tasks on occasion, so others don’t take advantage of your limited time.
Honor Thy Schedule
There is no doubt time is a valuable commodity. In order to establish a more manageable schedule and make the most of the hours you have every day, you need to set limits on your time. For the next three months, make a commitment to start and end your work day at a set time each day, e.g. 8AM to 4:30PM, regardless if your office is a commute away or at home. Not a minute more and not a minute less. As soon as you master your schedule, you will learn to prioritize the important stuff and become more efficient in the process.
Kick Distractions Out The Door
Many people spend a good chunk of their workday hanging around social networking websites, making personal phone calls, and catching up on trivial chitchat around the office water cooler. These distractions can throw off your schedule, making it difficult to get work done and allowing you to leave the office on time. Reduce or eliminate these time-wasters and enjoy them instead during your downtime.
Spend Less To Have More
The long hours at the office may afford you a nice home and a shiny new vehicle like the Joneses, but if it means working 80-100 hours a week to physical exhaustion and never seeing the kids every night, you will have to honestly ask yourself whether it is all worth being able to afford these so-called “necessities.” If your answer is ‘No,’ then make it a priority to spend less so you can work less and gain back the most valuable luxury there is: TIME.
Image credit: Susan Ho
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