Many ambitious employees tend to prioritize their work above all else, especially in the early stages of their career. An Okanagan employee is eager to establish themselves in the industry and position themselves for advancement. But overworking can skew an employee’s work-life balance and result in burnout.
The good news is that there is no need to sacrifice work-life balance for your career. Here are the top five tips for maintaining work-life balance, even if you have a demanding job:
Set goals
At the beginning of each month, determine what goals you want to achieve both in your life and at work. Outline a plan and schedule for making each happen, and check on your progress at the beginning of each week. This will keep you focused on your priorities and help you avoid getting distracted with less important tasks or “busy work”.
Optimize your productivity
Work smarter not harder! Avoid context switching (aka “multitasking) and opt for task batching instead. Task batching involves grouping similar tasks together and then focusing on one group of tasks at a time. For example, group together all your meetings/calls then have a separate group for checking emails. Use a task management program (like Trello) to organize and prioritize grouped tasks.This helps you streamline your focus on like-tasks to get more done in less time!
Be transparent with your manager
As long as you are being honest, a good boss will understand and work with you when your work-life balance is suffering. Keep the lines of communication open by letting them know what your needs are. For example, if your morning commute is taking you twice as long because of rush hour traffic, ask them if there’s any opportunity to start your work day earlier or later. Or, if you need certain tools to help you get the job done faster, ask for them!
Exercise and eat right
Self-care is key to maintaining a positive outlook on life and helping you be your best self. Exercise is one of the best ways to stay healthy, which in turn increases your focus and productivity. If you’re not used to exercise, start with just 20 minutes a day. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but a brisk 20 minute walk can improve your cardiovascular health and help you maintain a healthy weight.
Similarly, a good diet is equally important. Avoid grabbing takeout for lunch and pack a healthy lunch each day.
Set boundaries
It’s important to know when to say “no” in order to avoid getting overloaded with work. You don’t need to volunteer for every single thing to try and impress your boss! Remember to focus on your priorities and decline invitations if they are not aligned with your goals.
Conclusion
With the right strategy, Okanagan employees can maintain a healthy work-life balance that advances their career while maintaining their self-care and home life.
Sometimes, achieving work-life balance comes down to finding the right job to begin with! From there, it is simply a matter of being honest with your employer, your family, and yourself about what you can handle.
