3 Ways to Find Your Work-Life Balance This New Year
Some of the most common New Year’s resolutions boil down to establishing a sustainable work-life balance. Whether you’ve set fitness, health, or financial goals, they become much more achievable when your lifestyle balances work and personal time. Work-life balance means something different to everyone. First, define what is important for YOU. Next, whatever resolutions you’ve set, we recommend that you make it a point to prioritize your work-life balance this new year. Here are three ways you can do that.
1. Be Realistic.
Setting a goal to achieve a good work-life balance doesn’t mean getting it perfect. In fact, not only is a perfect work-life balance not ongoingly achievable but if you make perfection your criteria for success, the most significant thing you’ll most likely increase is your frustration.
Instead, be realistic. How much flexibility do you have in your daily or weekly schedule? Does it make sense to work more hours on specific days so you can prioritize personal activities on different days?
Health experts will tell you that having a healthy diet doesn’t mean you eat all the healthy foods daily. Instead, what you consume over a few weeks or a month creates a well-balanced diet. I personally love the 80/20 principle… I eat whole, organic, fresh food 80% of the time and “have fun foods” 20% of the time…The same applies to a work-life balance. Think of your time in terms of a week, two weeks, or a month, and look at where you’re out of balance in that timeframe.
2. Make Time to Unplug.
At KCC, we love Anne Lamott’s quote: “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.”
Set aside some time each week to put aside your phone and email. A morning, an hour, whatever suits your schedule. Give yourself a break from your screens and engage with your surroundings in other ways. If the weather is good, walk along a pretty street or in a lovely park. Enjoy time with your pet. People-watch at a coffee shop. Give your brain some time to slow down.
Don’t be discouraged if this is harder than you expect. It can be disconcerting to discover how often we reach for our devices, even when we don’t need to. Set a timer and stick to your screen-free plans. Teaching your body to take a break will allow you to be more focused and energized when it’s time to work again.
3. Plan a Vacation.
In my book 21 Days to Happiness, I mention how spending on experiences is usually more beneficial than spending on “things.” Why? Because there are 3 fun phases: phase 1 – planning; phase 2 – enjoying the experience; and phase 3 – remembering! So, now is the perfect time to start thinking about and planning a trip for later in the year. By doing the research now, you allow time to adjust your budget to have the savings in hand when you’re ready to book your flight or road trip.
Just like taking regular time to unplug, a vacation allows us to reset our energy and focus. It allows us to create new experiences and memories to share with our loved ones and reduces our risk of burnout at work.
Happy New Year from Our Team at KCC!
We hope this new year brings incredible success in both your work and personal lives. It’s a joy every time we help our clients achieve their goals, and we can’t wait to see what wonderful journeys we’ll be part of this year.
You can learn more about crafting a sustainable work-life balance in my book, 21 Days to Happiness. Each day of the 21-day journey identifies an area of our lives that contributes to our overall happiness and teaches what we can do to start living happier lives today. Day 15 focuses specifically on the value of taking a break and the health benefits it brings to our lives.
Ask us about our KCC interactive conference on Happiness at Work. We can present this practical, science-based program to your company for all employees or a specific team.
