7 Tips to Improve Your Work-Life Balance

In the fast paced world we’re living in, it can be difficult to create a work-life balance in your life. With the rise of remote jobs, the ever-increasing need for efficiency and the consistency of impending deadlines, creating a system for prioritizing your work-life balance is more important than ever.  

Without proper work-life balance, you are significantly more likely to experience burnout. Burnout is defined by PubMed Central as “a psychological syndrome emerging as a prolonged response to chronic interpersonal stressors on the job.” 

We will address our top 7 tips to improve your work-life balance and keep yourself from burning out.  

1. Take Breaks

Taking breaks is one of the best at-work practices you can incorporate to help you avoid burnout and promote proper work-life balance. According to Robert Pozen, a lecturer at MIT, taking a 15-minute break every 75-90 minutes can help your brain retain information better and reduce stress.  

Make sure you take your lunch break every day as well. Don’t bring more work on your lunch break. Of course, there will be busy days where this may not be possible but prioritize it as much as you can. Taking an actual break on your lunch break will help you destress and reset. 

2. Communicate About Flexibility

Communicating with your boss about flexibility practices that will help you be more productive and less stressed is a great way to improve your work-life balance. Whether this flexibility comes in the form of flextime, a compressed workweek schedule, or something else, communicating with your bosses and managers about flexibility is key.  

3. Prioritize Your Wellbeing

Prioritizing your mental, physical and spiritual well-being is another key factor when it comes to creating work-life balance. You may consider meditating, getting exercise, or eating well to help keep your mental, physical and spiritual well-being in tip-top shape.  

Prioritizing your well-being can also include committing to using your paid time off routinely. You may decide to take a certain number of days off every quarter, depending on how much paid time off your job provides.  

4. Communicate Boundaries

Communicating boundaries is the backbone of creating a healthy work-life balance. This can come in the form of having firm working hours, not working once you’ve gotten home, not taking on extra projects you don’t have time for, etc.  

5. Have a Designated Work Space

Working remotely has posed a new issue with creating a work-life balance because there isn’t a clear distinction between home and work life. If you work from home, or if you tend to bring work home from your office, have a designated spot where you complete work.  

It can be your kitchen table, an office room, or somewhere else, but it’s recommended that you avoid working from your bed as this can disrupt healthy sleeping patterns. 

6. Schedule Time for Your Relationships

Maintaining strong relationships in your life has been tied to increased longevity and life satisfaction. Schedule out time that you will spend with your spouse or partner, your kids and your friends. Fostering healthy and wholesome relationships will help you avoid burnout and create a better work-life balance.  

7. Prioritize Time for Your Hobbies

Work isn’t everything. You should prioritize time to spend enjoying your hobbies regularly. Actually schedule blocks of time in your google calendar to spend exploring new hobbies and enjoying the hobbies you already have.  

Visit INTEGRIS Health Today For More Information

At INTEGRIS Health, we understand the importance of keeping the whole individual healthy, both mentally and physically. We offer physical health services as well as mental health services. Schedule an appointment with a healthcare provider today.

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