We live hectic lives. Achieving the right work-life balance often seems mission impossible. With a smartphone in our pocket, the work never stops. The line between work and life is blurry.
Achieving a good work-life balance is incredibly important. It enables us to be more productive at work and more fulfilled in life. It makes us happier.
There is no silver bullet for achieving a work-life balance. Instead, there are different strategies. Here are a few…
Strategies for improving work-life balance
Establish boundaries
Set clear boundaries for when and how you work. While technology allows us to stay connected, it is in your power to disconnect. For example, I have two general rules: 1) No calls before 6 am, and after 10 pm. 2) No email after 10 pm. I sometimes make exceptions to these rules, but not without a good reason.
Working from home is a significant lever in improving work-life balance. It saves time, provides flexibility, and makes it easier to juggle work and life commitments. If you can work remotely, at least partially, do it. Read this post for more tips on how to be successful when working remotely.
Optimize your time
Your calendar is your best friend when it comes to balancing work and life. Put all personal commitments on your schedule. For example, I mark all school events, exercise, learning, and planned downtime. I use green to highlight all non-work responsibilities. I treat work and personal commitments with equal importance.
Establish rules for emails and social platforms like IM, Slack, and Yammer. Avoid checking your emails and phone every few minutes. These can be distracting and derail your attention. I check my emails twice a day and respond during reserved blocks of time.
Learn when you are most productive. Use that time for your most critical work-related activities. I protect 2-3 hour chunks of time for creative work. This single strategy has been a massive driver of my productivity.
Master the 80/20 rule
One of the critical skills you need to master is 80/20, also known as the Pareto principle. The principle states that 80% of your results will come 20% of your efforts. Take a critical look at your workload. Identify 20% of the tasks that would yield 8% of the outcomes. Focus on those first. After you delivered 80% of the impact, you will worry less about the rest. You might even discover that some work disappeared in the process.
Avoid perfect, adopt agile
You have heard the expression “perfect is the enemy of good.” It is true in business. In fact, the agile approach has done wonders for improving corporate productivity. From increased innovation to faster time to market to better customer service – agile has proven to be a way to unlock value for many corporations. Adopting an agile mindset will improve your productivity. Using rapid prototyping, frequent iterations, and early feedback can help you dramatically reduce development time and deliver better quality outcomes faster.
Get to terms with travel
Travel is often a job requirement. Typically, it adds pressure to your work-life balance. Getting up at 4 am for a 6 am flight, dealing with jetlag, airport transits – travel can be a time and energy suck both physically and emotionally, taking time away from family and friends.
You need to come to terms with business travel and set your rules. Decide how much you are willing to travel. Are you OK with 60% or only 25%? Are you OK flying out on Sundays? Can you handle getting up at 4 am for a flight? For example, getting up early in the morning has always been a challenge for me. Now I fly in the night before for early morning meetings. When I travel overseas, I plan my schedule so that I have 1-2 days to adjust to a different time zone.
Interestingly enough, after my kids were born, business travel provided a needed outlet. Life at home was so busy that combining a demanding career and family was extremely difficult. An occasional business trip gave me an outlet. It allowed me to separate work and life and stay balanced. I am forever thankful to my amazing husband, who supports me and takes care of the kids when I travel.
When you travel for business, it is essential to stay vital. Carve out time for exercise and relaxation. A massage works for me (see this post for more on massage). Find what works for you and develop a routine.
Prioritize sleep
Sleep is crucial for a healthy work-life balance. When you sleep well, you are more alert, engaged, and productive. You can work faster. Your output quality is better. Lack of sleep affects main cognitive functions like attention, concentration, creativity, pattern recognition, memory, and decision-making. It can lead to stress, depression, and burnout. Most adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep to function at their best. Make sure you prioritize sleep over other activities.
Take time to unwind
We live in a connected world that never sleeps. Switching off the phone or putting it aside for a few minutes, hours, or days can help you relax and recharge. Here are a few things you can try:
Turn on airplane mode
I love being on planes because my beloved cell phone is turned off. There is something about airplane mode that I find liberating—not “having” to respond to anyone or anything. Recently I started using airplane mode when I am on the ground. Strangely enough, it gives me the same liberating feeling. I feel free and less stressed.
Practice meditation
Mediation is an effective way of unplugging for short periods. Build a habit of regular meditations 5-10 min each day. If meditation does not work for you, find another practice that does. For example, taking a short walk or getting on a quick bike ride works better for me.
Spend time with friends and family
Connecting with people is a great way to unplug. Make time for it. Put it on your calendar. Enjoy human interaction with your partner, your kids, and your friends. Talk about anything but work.
Travel far away
Travel to a remote location where there is no internet connection. Last year, we went to Ibera National Park in Argentina. We stayed in a lodge in the middle of the park. Cell phone only worked in a restaurant area, which meant we could only check email during mealtime. The rest of the time, we were off the grid. I returned relaxed and rejuvenated.
Find a hobby
Having a hobby can help you shift your mind and attention away from work. Find another activity that you enjoy. For me, it is listening to various podcasts and writing a blog. For you, it can be something else – exercise, photography, drawing, cooking. If you immerse yourself into your hobby, it will help you relax and recharge.
When everything else fails, leave
If you are struggling to achieve a better work-life balance in your current role or company, ask yourself whether this is realistic. For example, a 60-hour week is a norm in consulting, and travel is a requirement. If you attempt to work less, you would likely fall behind the curve. There are roles, companies, and industries, in which achieving the right work-life balance is hard. In this case, if a better work-life balance is your priority consider changing the position or company.
