It’s no secret—managing work, relationships, and extracurricular activities can be a challenge. From the responsibilities at work to maintaining relationships with your friends and family, you have a lot on your plate. While it may seem impossible to “have it all,” there are ways to manage your time so you can live a happy, balanced life. Here are five tips to help maintain a healthy work life balance:
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Be Present
One of the most important things people can do in their careers is be present and focused. As simple as this sounds, this can be a difficult skill to master. With the distractions of technology and the pressure to get more done quicker, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed and a bit scatterbrained. However, if you can focus your energy on each task at hand, you will be able to complete assignments quicker and more efficiently.
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Set Realistic Goals and Expectations
In order to maintain a healthy work life balance, it’s important to set realistic goals and expectations. This will help you prioritize assignments and manage your time wisely. I make a list each morning of the day’s tasks and then prioritize them. By mapping out my day, I can ensure that I complete the high-priority tasks first and don’t leave any outstanding items.
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Make Time for Personal Activities
- As busy as we are, it’s important to make time for family, friends, and activities that we enjoy. Scheduling time for relationships and hobbies outside of work will help you recharge and feel refreshed. Matter offers extracurricular activities for its employees, including basketball, yoga, and running club. Shooting hoops or going for a run with my coworkers always helps relieve the stress of the day and helps me come back to the office feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the rest of my day.
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Unplug
Technology has made our lives easier in many ways, but it has also created expectations of constant accessibility. While it’s imperative to complete work assignments, it’s also important to unplug after work and enjoy the moment. Eat dinner away from your phone. Take a walk. Read a book. If you need to check work emails, schedule time to do so rather than constantly looking at your email or phone. It’s important to make time for your life outside of work so you can be happier and more focused at work.
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Work Smarter, Not Harder
One of the keys to maintaining a healthy work life balance is to understand the difference between working harder and working smarter. The goal should be to work more efficiently, not necessarily harder. By taking the time to prioritize tasks and think strategically on the best course of action, you can actually save time and energy. It’s not about squeezing in the most tasks in your day; it’s about simplifying how you work, doing things faster, and generating more results.
Work-life balance means something different to everyone and it’s important to find the balance that’s right for you. How do you maintain a healthy work life balance?