Work-Life Balance

Derval Chambers Petit • 7 October 2020

Top Tips To Help you Take Back Control

If you're struggling to achieve work-life balance, you're not alone! For many of us it has never been easy to strike the right balance between our home life and our careers, but now in this time of uncertainty, working from home where possible and juggling the requirements of others in our lives who may need a little extra care, at times feels downright impossible.

At one time you left your workplace at 5 pm and put the days work behind you, but now with smart technology that keeps us basically on call 24 hours a day, whether you work from home or from an office, the boundaries can be extremely blurred and maintaining work-life balance needs a lot more effort than you would expect.

But don’t despair, there are steps you can take to help yourself better manage your time, detach from work and care for yourself. Here we have detailed our top tips to help you take back control of your life and to strike a healthier balance...

Set Time Limits:
Give yourself enough time to get things done, and don't overschedule yourself. Evaluate your priorities at work and at home and try to shorten your to-do list, delegate duties you don't enjoy or can't handle and most importantly learn to say "no"! As soon as you stop accepting tasks out of guilt or a false sense of obligation, you'll have more time for activities that are meaningful to you.

Detach From Work:
Working from home or frequently using technology to connect to work when you're at home can cause you to feel like you're always on the job. Sit down with your manager and discuss expectations regarding when you can disconnect. If you work from home, dress for work and have a quiet dedicated workspace, if possible. When you're done working each day, detach and transition to home life by changing your outfit.

Make Time for Self-Care:
A healthy lifestyle is essential to coping with stress and achieving work-life balance. Eat well, include physical activity in your daily routine and get enough sleep. In addition, aim to take time out just for you, put your feet up, watch a favourite movie, take a long bath or get a massage.

Make Time for Exercise:
Regularly set aside time for activities that you enjoy, such as yoga, gardening or reading. Hobbies can help you relax, take your mind off of work and allow you to recharge. Better still, discover activities you can do with your partner, family or friends, like walking, dancing or cooking.

Develop a support system:
At work, join forces with colleagues, so that when any issues come up at home or you need some time away, you can support each other, everything feels a little easier when you know someone has your back. Likewise, at home, enlist trusted friends and loved ones to pitch in with child care or household responsibilities when you need to work late.

And finally, and I think most importantly, know when to seek professional help. If you feel that trying to manage the chaos alone, is simply leaving you spinning your wheels, talk to a professional. As a Life and Career Coach, I’m happy to help and you can schedule a complimentary discovery call by contacting me at derval@dervalchamberspetit.ie

Creating work-life balance is a continuous process as your life, your career, your interests, your family and your social circle change. Every so often take time to examine your priorities, make changes, if necessary and make sure you are keeping on track.


by Derval Chambers Petit 28 December 2023
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