Work-life balance is the Holy Grail of happiness when it comes to your career. Even if you enjoy your job, you still want to have space in your life for your personal matters. You don't want your job to interrupt your home life or social life. Conversely, your personal life can sometimes encroach on your work, muddling things further. So getting the right balance is of the utmost importance.
Knowing it's what you want and actually achieving it are two different things, though. It's often tough to make sure the two parts of your life don't mix too much, no matter what type of work you do. You don't have to have a high-flying career to make it difficult to separate work from the rest of your life. So what can you do to make it work?
Look at Different Working Patterns
Are you looking for a new job or considering a career change? Even if it's not something you're actively thinking about, it could be a good way to find the work-life balance you want. There are multiple options for the hours you work, and looking for a new job could help you find the right working pattern. The 4 10 hour shift schedule has become more popular as a way to work the same number of hours in a week, but get one more day off. Other shift patterns with longer shifts but fewer working days can work out too, or you might consider options such as night shifts or working part-time.
Find Remote Jobs
Remote working has become much more popular too. In fact, many people don't want a job that requires them to go into the office five days a week. They want their jobs to be hybrid, at least, and possibly fully remote. A remote job could work out for you if you're looking for better balance. It doesn't mean you can do whatever you like, whenever you like. However, it can give you more flexibility and more time. You don't have to commute, and you can find you're able to make better use of the times when you're less busy. You have the ability to start some laundry or empty the dishwasher so you don't have to do it later.
Consider Flexible Working
Flexible working allows you to set working hours that work for you. You might still work the same hours as everyone else, but you could choose to get to work earlier and leave later, for example. Or you might negotiate with your employer to work fewer hours or to organize your working hours differently. More and more employers are offering flexible working so you can work in a way that suits both you and them. As long as you get your work done and you're available when needed, that's all that matters.
Set Better Boundaries
Sometimes your work-life balance can suffer due to a lack of boundaries. It's partly up to you to ensure you create a divide between your work and your personal life. It's not just about letting other people know what your boundaries are, but also being stricter with yourself to put your work down. It's important to know when to say "no" to others (or just "not right now") but you also need to know when to say it to yourself.
Work on Time Management
Time management is also important if you want a good work-life balance. In fact, it can become even more important if you work from home. Without good time management, your work can creep into your personal life simply because you haven't finished when you needed to. It's a good idea to explore different time management techniques, from scheduling your day to removing distractions so that you can work more efficiently. Time management is important in your personal life too, so it doesn't encroach on your work.
Plan Time Off
Having time off booked serves two main purposes. Firstly, it ensures you really do take time off. It can be surprisingly easy to just keep going without really thinking about the last time you had a proper break. Secondly, it gives you something to look forward to, which can make your time working less stressful. Make sure you use your allowed time off by arranging it far in advance and planning how you're going to use it.
Achieving work-life balance isn't always easy, but it's essential if you want satisfaction in both your career and personal life. It's up to you to take the steps to make it happen.