Balance your Personal and Professional Life

Stress levels are bound to rise when your work life and personal life are out of balance.

Earlier people were fairly clear about the boundaries between their work and home. But in this world of fast rising competition, work is very much likely to invade your private life and maintaining a balance between work and private life remains no simple task.

First let us consider the consequences of racking up work hours. Many a time people go over the top and spend most of their time working if they are trying for a promotion. Let us consider the consequences of poor work balance-

FATIGUE/TIREDNESS- excessive work can take a toll on your health. It can lead to fatigue or tiredness which in turn decreases your ability to work productively. Repeated mistakes can hamper your professional reputation.

INCREASED EXPECTATIONS FROM SENIORS- if you work regularly beyond office hours you might be expected to do the same occasionally. Your seniors will have greater expectations from you and you might not be able to fulfill them always.

LOST TIME WITH FAMILY- if you are working too much, it might as well cost your personal relationships. You might miss out on special occasions and nothing can make up for this lost time. You may have no time for family outings or nurturing your friendships.

HERE IS HOW TO STRIKE A BETTER WORK BALANCE-

PLAN A TIME-TABLE- plan your activities for the week in advance. Try to keep the weekends free for spending time with family and friends.

DO NOT OVER-STRESS YOURSELF- a simple way to begin with this is by learning to say ‘NO’. It is perfectly alright to do so when you genuinely cannot help out someone with his/her work. Do not feel guilty in refusing to do something. This way you will save a lot of time which you would have otherwise wasted doing things out of a false sense of obligation.

DO NOTCARRY YOUR WORK HOME- leave your work at work and do not carry the burden home. Make it a rule to keep your personal time and work separate. You can begin by turning off your cell phone and putting away your laptop computer when you are with your family.

HAVE A PROPER NIGHT SLEEP- having a good night sleep is equally important. Working through the night can affect your health. 7-hours sleep is a must. It will keep you fresh all day and help improve your working potential.

Striking the right balance between personal and professional life is not a one day task. It is a continuous process which requires a conscious effort on your part.