Seems we always want what we don’t have—such as with our hair (curly vs. straight) or with the weather (warm vs. cool). And so it goes with our day-to-day lifestyle. Individuals who work full-time in a traditional work setting dream of a more relaxed schedule, vs. those who work remotely often desire more people time.
Last week I talked with a veteran schoolteacher who dreamily voiced about “someday out there” when she will be able to spend more time at home alone, just as I was hoping for some more time when I could work outside the four corners of my house.
This balancing act kicks in strongly when we’re laboring hard at our job, plus trying to care for our family members and home. Juggling all that responsibility can be tricky for even the most talented individuals.
But since I was curious about how others tackled this issue, I started asking around on social media for ideas. It was interesting to read the responses! It seems I’m not the only one curious about the best way to balance this particular scale.
So, where are you on this? If I could jump through my computer screen to sit and talk with you in person, what would you add to the following list of lifestyle remedies suggested by several of my friends and loved ones?
No work calls after hours
Unless a work-related phone call comes from a source that you know could be an emergency, putting those calls “on hold” until your next scheduled day helps with work/home boundaries. Using the phone tool to silence calls that are not known or in our personal contact list is also a huge help!
Make time to laugh
Some individuals work in environments that are more serious in culture than others. But making time to banter lightly with people at work and home helps us not take either too seriously, which helps to even things out a bit.
Create short breaks for exercise
This is especially important for those who might feel stuck at home with their jobs since the pandemic hit a few years ago. We all need to work on physical exercise to stay healthy in body and mindsets. This doesn’t need to be too strenuous. Just taking a short break to walk outside for a bit can do wonders for our alertness and help break up the day in a healthy way.
Stay true to established work hours
This rule must remain intact whether you’re working from home or in a traditional office with coworkers. Keeping a boundary on work hours takes effort, especially for those who love going beyond daily goals. However, the end result is downtime and relationship-building with friends and family members. This is the payoff for “clocking in and out” each day around the same time.
Just say, “No”
Sometimes we must take the stance of being intentional with our time allotments for personal and work matters. For example, when friends ask us to go out for dinner or fun activities with them, it might be better to schedule those activities for the weekend or whenever it doesn’t interfere with family time or work responsibilities.
Some of the points above may/may not apply to you. Pick and choose what might need to be adjusted if you are struggling with life stability, and then let us know what your secret is to create the perfect work-life balance.