A lot of the time you feel like you’re on a tightrope. You try to keep a balance but your composure at work decreases as you think about all the things that need to be done at home. Will there be food to make dinner tonight? Do I have time to spend time with my friends? Will I be able to make it to my daughter’s ballet recital? Often these questions and others pop into our head while we are on our way to meetings or convincing a client to buy what we offer.
With the use of technology, you never seem to leave your work at the office. You are now available to your clients 24/7, and with the decrease in people wanting to buy a property in the UK, management is needed now more than ever. Here are a few ways in which we believe you can manage one of the most important aspects of life – a work-life balance.
- Time Management
Enhance your time management through appropriate goals and deciding what is important or urgent. Having valuable time management means that you will be able to optimise every moment of your day. Separate your day accordingly by having a set time for specific tasks. Make a time for your clients, when you show them around a home, and when you have time for yourself – even if it is in 10-minute intervals.
- Technology Management
The rate of change in technology happens in the blink of an eye. When you use technology in an effective way you will allow it to serve you rather than abuse you. Install apps that help you with your downtime and apps that can help you with management. Set reminders on your phone for work and personal obligations.
- Leisure Management
When it comes to understanding the needs of human existence knowing the importance of relaxation and rest are imperative. There is no way that you will be able to get through the day without letting your body and mind switch off, and not just when you are sleeping. Making specific times in the day to rest is important to the productivity of your services.
- Stress Management
It is a human trait to find yourself stressed out. Whether it is about work or about anything happening in your personal life, you will get stressed when you feel like you can’t get everything done in the time frame set. We get stressed when we didn’t land the client. We get stressed knowing we didn’t buy groceries for dinner. Knowing when to ask for help becomes a key factor here. We need to make a priorities list and realise that there is only so much we are capable of.
- Boundary Management
Setting boundaries are probably one of the most important things we can do when trying to balance our work life and home life. Ensuring that when we leave the office, our work stays there, is imperative to our sanity. Set fair and realistic limits on what you will and will not do both at home and at work. You need to be able to communicate these boundaries with your superior, co-workers and family members – this will also help relieve stress. Set aside a time at home during which you will not check or respond to work-related emails or voice mails.
- Relationship Management
Inner satisfaction is a key factor when living your daily life. Nurturing your relationships with yourself, family and friends can provide you with inner satisfaction, so don’t overlook it. If your career is damaging your relationships, then it will start to put pressure on all areas of your life. Be sure to have time for both family and friends and ensure that they also feel respected by you and not left behind. By making your relationships a priority, you will, in turn, make your productivity at work increase.
Knowing your limits, setting your boundaries, and understanding your surroundings will help you form a strategy to have an excellent work and home life balance. You shouldn’t have to pick one or the other.
