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How To Create A Good Work/Life Balance To Make The Most Out Of Summer

A lot of us today feel proud of the hard work that we put into our work, and that is fine. That is how achievements are made, when we produce more work than is expected of us. However, burning the midnight oil for work can have a lot of health repercussions when we forget to take personal time off too. Here are ways for you to lead a more balanced life.

1. Prioritize the right way. Often times, when priorities are in question, people automatically think of work, money, and other pragmatic factors. Prioritizing is about work half the time, but that’s about it. You work for the specific hours you are expected to work, and you can actually produce a lot in that timespan if you focus and do actual work. After that, you have to learn how to rest because getting sick can also offset your efforts at work. Not only is your health in danger if you have to work overtime all the time but you also risk ruining and eventually losing relationships with your family, friends and special someone. When you are at work, concentrate on work, but after office hours, enjoy your time, relax, and actually live your life. You are not a robot after all, and even machines are allowed to rest.

2. Set a specific time for your downtime. Because they are just “downtime” they are very easy to forgo. After all, work will always seem more urgent and more important. However, you must remember that you deserve your break. You worked hard. This means that your downtime is just as important as your hard work. You need rewards to keep yourself motivated. You can make sure you keep that reward very tangible by actually booking that trip to the spa, or booking that flight to your secret happy place. Schedule it as if you were scheduling a client meeting, and keep that promise to yourself that you will spend more time taking care of your wellbeing.

3. Know and admit your limits. You can work more efficiently when you know your limits and allow them to exist. There is a limit to pushing your limits because you are a human being after all. You cannot be expected to be invincible all the time. There might be occasions when you really have to push yourself, but you know how drained your body can feel if you do this too often. So during ordinary days, acknowledge that you feel tired and you need a break. Take the break. At the end of the day, if the task is not overly urgent, do it the next day and get a good night’s sleep. Talk to your employer if you feel you are overloaded. If they don’t understand, you should look into other employment options because your psychological well-being can suffer if you are treated like a robot.

4. Exercise. You can do this before you leave for work or after, but you need to find time for exercise. It relieves stress and it keeps your body fit even if you have been sitting in front of the computer for most of the day. Eating well is also necessary if you want to keep stress and sickness at bay. Just remember to take good care of your body because it serves you well.

5. Disconnect. As enticing as the social media might be, sometimes reading through all those posts can be tiring. It also makes you lose your personal time because you are available to other people all the time. If you truly want to relax, disconnect from the Internet. Be unavailable and get some proper sleep. It’s okay. You will be missed but other people can survive even if you don’t respond to their emails right away.

6. Try to leave your work in the office. As much as possible, try to leave your work in the office so you can relax as home. This provides a physical segregation of your work time and your personal time too. If you always bring your work home, you will end up losing essential personal time. Leaving your work in the office also forces your employers to recognize that they need to respect your personal life too.