5 ways to get the best work-life balance

If you are struggling with switching off from work at the end of the day or feel like work is becoming your life, try these to get the best work life balance possible.

Work near home, not at home
A study by Regus found that 71% of professionals believe that working closer to home improves your health and gives you more opportunities to head to the gym before and after work. If you work hours away from home, you probably spend a lot of your time commuting and therefore never truly switch off from work. So try looking for somewhere to live a little closer to your workplace. The study also found that 76% felt that working from home enables professionals to spend more time on outside interests and hobbies. However, working from home is only a good option if you are not likely to get distracted easily.

Stop staying so late
You may think that staying late at work makes you look like a much harder worker than your peers. But this simply isn’t the case. Working long hours can have a significant impact on your health, and researchers even found that those who work more than 55 hours a week are more at risk of having a stroke and there is also an increased risk of heart disease. Those who work long hours spend less time exercising too and even spending time with family and friends. Reconnect with your loved ones or re-join the gym to give you a good reason to leave work at a normal time.

Say no
Saying no is not going to get you the sack (hopefully) so try it out sometime. The power of saying no may be a scary thought, but you cannot do everything all the time and be able to be there at the drop of a hat. Be fair with your boss and colleagues and tell them certain times and dates that you can do something instead of running back into the office at 7pm to help them out with something. Chances are, it can wait until the following day anyway.

Log out of your account
It can be tempting to check your emails late into the night, but by doing so you aren’t truly switching off from work and allowing yourself to relax. Back in 2014, a French law banned employees from checking work emails after 6pm. The law may not have actually been true in the end, but it is something to apply to your life to achieve a good work-life balance. When the clock strikes six, turn off your work mobile and enjoy your evening instead of stressing about the office.

Don’t take work home with you
Taking your laptop away with you on an evening isn’t going to do you any good. Although there may not be enough hours in the day to get everything done, by taking your work home you’re not giving yourself any ‘me time’ and time to reflect on your day. If you are not getting everything done at work, reconsider how you do things and how long you spend on each task. It could be worth trying out new ways of spending your time at work so that you’re always productive. Alternatively, write down any outstanding tasks at the end of the day so you know what you need to crack on with the following morning.

 

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