11th August, 2017

5 Tips for a Better Work-Life Balance

Juggling both your personal life and job in Myanmar can be very difficult. Sometimes, you just can’t help but prioritize one of the two. In some instances, you find yourself buried in mountainous workload that you rarely get to go home; in other times, you put your personal life above everything else that it’s affecting your performance at work.

Separating your work and personal life is important because it will help you achieve a balanced life. When you have a balanced life, you get enough rest and focus on your priorities properly. The technology available to us today can make separating work from personal life impossible; however establishing boundaries and dividing your time effectively is actually doable. Here are 5 ways for you to achieve a better work-life balance!

1. Learn to Say NO

Don’t be available to your boss or workmates 24/7. Learn to say no every once in a while because by saying yes all the time, your boss is just going to be increasingly more demanding through time, which might raise your workload as well. You don’t have to justify your actions or make excuses when you say no; however, don’t be rude when declining a task. Remember that when your job demands too much, you have to speak up.

2. Close your Email

Checking your email every five minutes will just bring you pointless stress. Instead of peeking at your inbox in the middle of the night, sleep so that you are well rested when you wake up tomorrow. Refrain from opening your email during holidays as well – this will help you enjoy your vacation to the fullest!

3. Don’t Work Harder, Work Smarter

Being productive does not necessarily mean that you have to work longer hours or rest for a short period of time only. Sleep-hacking – or the act of training your brain and body to sleep less – is a skill that plenty of young professionals try to master. This is unhealthy because sleep is very helpful in consolidating and solidifying memories that your brain absorbed during the day. A good night’s sleep will help you retain information and perform tasks that rely on memory better. It will also help you develop an improved reaction time! Instead of working harder – and depriving your body sleep in the process – work smarter. Working smarter means prioritizing your tasks and utilizing your time in order to finish all of your responsibilities within your working hours.

4. Leave Work at Work

You need rest; and sitting at home watching TV while thinking of the things that you need to do at work tomorrow is not considered resting. Avoid this by listing down the tasks that you haven’t finished yet, as well as the errands that you have to accomplish tomorrow, in your planner before leaving work every day. Afterwards, close your planner, shut down your computer, and leave them. Avoid taking your work with you everywhere you go or you will never be able to enjoy any of your activities outside work.

5. Don’t Aim for Perfection

There are people who love to contemplate their performance at work later in the day. When you’re sitting at home, eating dinner, do you sometimes find yourself hoping that you could have done a task differently? Stop that. Nobody is ever perfect so stop constantly criticizing and pressuring yourself.

Separating your work from your personal life is a challenge that you have to overcome. By doing so, you can achieve an excellent work-life balance that would make you a happier and better individual.