When you work hard to gain a promotion to enter the world of leadership, you may also be familiar with having to work long hours at certain times. Once within the role, it can be difficult to offset the demands of the job with your personal life.
Additional responsibilities may weigh you down and lead to longer work hours. When you feel overwhelmed, fatigue and self-doubt can quickly set in. And the pressure can continue long after you have left the workplace, overshadowing other important areas of life.
Quality downtime is essential. You must be able to switch off and relax. It is true that time with family and friends can help put life into perspective.
To create a more effective work-life balance, take a look at these 7 positive habits:
1. Renewing Balance
Gaining that coveted promotion can make work life a little lonely. Increased responsibilities may be testing. You may find a need to justify your new position.
It’s easy to lose work-life balance and succumb to the pressures or expectations set for you.
Managing your job in the most efficient way is paramount. This cultivates clarity of mind. When your mind is clear and focused, you don’t have to worry as much. This helps to realign the balance of work and social life. It is important not to become accustomed to working harder for longer.
While there may be times when extra hours are needed, keep in mind that this is temporary, so you can address your work-life balance in due course.
2. Schedule Important Personal Activities
When in a responsible position, it can be difficult to consider personal activities. It’s almost as if they become secondary. But think about this carefully.
Your personal activities are important for health, well-being, and family life. Personal activities enable you to offset stress and relax. When you schedule important activities, it is easier to leave the workplace on time.
Smartphones may be a useful tool for keeping your finger on the pulse of work productivity or to informing you when there are problems. But it is easy to become chained to your phone. Turn it off when possible.
Your health and well-being must be a priority. By scheduling personal activities, you gain a renewed perspective. This makes it easier to cope with fluctuating and difficult work levels.
By investing in yourself, you help offset the potential for burnout which can easily impact health.
3. Manage Energy and Remove Time Wasters
When working hard, energy levels can easily wane. Develop prioritization skills and focus on the most important tasks rather than those that are time drains.
Reduce attendance at unstructured meetings or having to wade through emails constantly. Create to-do lists and place tasks in order of priority. Train others in a support role so that you have someone to delegate to.
Focus on eliminating stressors, so you don’t feel overwhelmed. Build in regular work breaks throughout the day, so you don’t work through your lunch break.
Eat healthily, ensuring lots of nutrients. When needed, shut the office door or get out of the workplace for a while to walk around. Drink more water to avoid dehydration.
4. Limit Work Hours
Depending on your role within an organization, it may be possible to limit hours worked. This can be achieved through clever time-management skills, which create space in your work schedule.
Working smarter, not harder, is key here. You should avoid spending the day in a frenzy of activity when dividing time between pressing tasks. It is impossible to complete everything, so sharpen up your approach and remember to delegate.
When a clear mind is applied to an ever-increasing workload, it is easier to complete outstanding tasks. This gives you more free time.
5. Be A Driving Force Within the Workplace
As a leader, you must drive and commit to the end goal. Extend this approach to gain the best from employees as well as from yourself. When you focus on this element, you streamline work processes, making life efficient, organized, and effective.
Create strategies that empower others to make executive decisions and consider the health of those within the organization too. This approach builds loyalty and respect. It also makes life easier in the workplace.
6. Foster the Link Between Mind and Body
The connection between the mind and body is strong. Stress is a destructive element in life. Self-care is important. Everyone needs downtime and a carefully cultivated balance, irrespective of workload.
Lead by example and promote lifestyle choices: nutrition, hydrating the body and taking regular exercise.
When your workload increases, utilize deep breathing techniques to clear your mind. Exercise is also important. If you can, walk to work, run up the stairs, or go to the gym. If working hours are extensive, you can easily exercise at home, offsetting muscular tension and improving posture.
When you develop the link between mind and body, you detect tension more readily, and it is easier to dissipate it.
7. Foster an Environment of Trust and Care
Within your role, you will likely manage the complexities of others. You will also need to inspire and motivate them. Take a calm approach and maintain consistency of style. You will avoid the highs and lows of frustration.
Establish a nurturing but determined style. Encourage learning and forward thinking. Develop trust in your employee, so they are able to develop trust and belief in you.
When you do this, people are easier to lead. Find time to develop those who are enthusiastic about learning and progressing and support them. In return, individuals will be motivated and enthusiastic. Work will be completed in a timely fashion, and this leads to a good work-life balance.
Balance
A good work-life balance is important for you and those who work with you. The benefits are two-fold. You feel less stressed and can have quality time at home and in your social life, and your employees will feel more engaged and valued. Life at work runs like a well-oiled machine.
When you take this approach, you work smarter and not harder, and you can achieve more in the long term. And most importantly, your health and well-being will improve as well.
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How Do You Achieve a Better Work-Life Balance?
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It is a good advice to follow which will increase the life expectancy of one’s life. Thank you for this noble idea
Great post thanks for sharing this valuable information with us all. It’s nice to see that you’re providing such nice and discrete tips to help people improve their everyday life. Nice work keep it up.