As someone who has struggled with maintaining a healthy work-life balance; I founded Balanced Bunch as a hub for health tips and strategies to help others achieve similar goals. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll be sharing my personal journey along with tips to help you balance your work and health.
Why is work-life balance important?
Achieving a healthy work-life balance is crucial for maintaining a balanced physical and mental health, and is essential for long-term success in both personal and professional life. Adopting a healthy work-life balance can lead to fewer health issues; including stress, burnout and other related factors, that can negatively impact a person’s overall well-being.
Setting Boundaries
When was the last time you had boundaries in your life. Hold that thought right there. That is exactly why you are still struggling. Establishing clear boundaries between work and personal life can be an important step in maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Try starting with the following:
1. Creating specific work hours for yourself which are reasonable and won’t interfere with your personal responsibilities.
Yes , yes we know that’s hard specially in a work environment. Its often hard to stick to schedules. Instead of having a time table in your life, have a list of priorities and be disciplined to complete all of them prior to hitting the sack . I mean what better job did a timetable do when we were schooling. The only good thing is we used to wait for the Interval.
So here’s a starter, brush your teeth , hit the gym for an hour , add two types of vegetables in your meal , attend work emails by 10 am and so on.
2. Disconnect outside of work hours if possible.
3. Getting comfortable with saying “no” when your workload is already too much to handle.
We all love to be the star worker or the so called employee of the month. But why is it needed to struggle by having more than you can handle on the plate. If you didn’t want to eat chicken for dinner , you would easily tell your mom “no, I don’t want chicken” right? So why not your boss! Push your limits but don’t go to overpush them which might cause you to drain. And on another note don’t go to tell your asian moms what to cook and what not to . Instead of dinner , you will be greeted by a beating :).
Prioritizing Self-Care
Self-care is very important. Who is the most important person in your life? You right? Don’t forget it. Take care of yourself first before prioritizing others. Let me give you a simple physics lesson, according to Newton’s 3rd Law: every action has an opposite and equal reaction. So, if you feed your body and mind with positive and nice things, you will get similar good outcomes. Some things to try out;
1. Exercise regularly: Physical activity not only improve your physical health but also your mood. Talking about me, being a medical student is not easy with all the workload. But at the gym I forget all of those. It’s just me vs me. Your favorite music playing, doing your workout with your gym buddies after a stressful day, ahhhh WHAT A FEELING!
2. Eat well: Eating a healthy diet can give you the energy you need to tackle daily tasks. I know no one likes to eat their greens unless you are a rabbit, just kidding. But if you want to live longer than your ex, boost your immunity, have your digestive system functioning properly, control your weight and prevent excess bodyweight gain eat your greens.
3. Get enough sleep: Establishing a regular sleep schedule can help your brain performance. I used to sleep only 4 hours a day earlier due to studies but now I have managed to complete all my work before midnight and have a peaceful 6 hours sleep every day. I can see a drastic change in my lifestyle with enhanced mood, productivity, energy and memory.
With some healthy sleep habits, you can sleep like a baby.
- Keep a constant sleep schedule.
- Turn off electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
- Avoid consuming alcohol before bedtime.
- Establish a relaxing bedtime routine.
- Don’t eat a large meal before bedtime.
4. Also, some other things you can try;
- Keeping the space around you clean and organized.
- Going outside amidst nature for fresh air can help you to have a positive mindset.
- Playing a podcast out loud can help sometimes.
- Evening walks with your weird playlist on.
Managing Stress
Learning to manage stress effectively is something that everyone should practice as high levels of stress can increase the risk of conditions like heart diseases, obesity and high blood pressure. Some people who are super stressed out tend to drink to make themselves feel better. Drinking only makes the situation worse so don’t do that. Instead try these;
1. Practice mindfulness meditation: Mindfulness meditation can help you focus on the present. Meditation can help to keep your mind calm and stress-free. When it comes to how often you should meditate, it’s up to you. Studies point to 8-weeks of meditation practice to see results.
2. Get that energy out: Get a punching bag or dance it off. This can provide a physical outlet for frustration and help you feel more grounded and in control.
3. Take breaks: Regular breaks throughout the day can help you feel refreshed and energized, and improve your ability to handle stress. But make sure to not do it in excess cause then it can affect your productivity! When you are on break , enjoy it without stressing on work !
4.Seek support: Reach out to your friends or family members when you feel the need to talk about something that keeps bothering you. If you feel no one understands, get yourself a meeting with a professional.
Getting Organized
Staying organized can promote a sense of control in daily life, save time and enhance productivity making it an excellent way to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Here are some tips to get organized:
• Utilize calendars, apps and to-do lists: This will help to keep track of tasks, deadlines and appointments.
• Create a daily routine: Establishing a routine can increase efficiency. Its hard to always follow it to the T but never give up.
Remember, achieving a healthy work-life balance is a journey, not a destination. Use these tips as a starting point and adjust them to fit your unique situation. With a little bit of effort and some self-care, you can achieve a balanced and healthy life.
I hope you found this guide helpful in your journey towards a balanced life. Stay tuned for more health tips and strategies on Balanced Bunch!