How to Improve Your Work-Life Balance
Often times, work can take precedence over many other things we are trying to juggle in our lives. We are all looking to succeed professionally and can push our own well-being aside to advance. However, creating a harmonious work-life balance is critical to improve not only our physical, emotional and mental well-being, but can lead to advancements in our career. A good work-life balance has numerous positive effects, including less stress, a lower risk of burnout and a greater sense of well-being. This not only benefits employees but employers, too.
Here at JANUS Research Group, we are committed to providing an environment that supports work-life balance to our employees so we can enjoy a more loyal and productive workforce. Below are a few tips and tricks that we have learned over the years.
1. Utilize Your Colleagues
A supportive work environment is invaluable. Leaning into a community that views you as a champion at what you do, is one of our key traits at JANUS.
2. Maintaining Healthy Boundaries
One way to avoid burnout is by maintaining healthy boundaries between your professional and personal life. As always, there are busy times that require logging more hours than normal, but by being intentional about your hard stops or how much time and energy you can reasonably give to a project, is key. Additionally, notifying team members and your manager about boundaries beyond which you cannot be accessible because you are engaged in personal activities, will help to ensure that they understand and respect your workplace limits and expectations.
3. Prioritize Your Health
Your overall physical, emotional and mental health should be your main concern. If you struggle with anxiety or depression and think therapy would benefit you, fit those sessions into your schedule. If you are battling an illness, utilize your sick days. Prioritizing your health doesn?t have to consist of radical or extreme activities. It can be as simple as daily meditation or exercise. Overworking yourself prevents you from getting better, possibly causing you to take more days off in the future.
4. Set Goals and Priorities
Set achievable goals by implementing time-management strategies and analyzing your to-do list. Also be aware of when you are most productive at work and block that time off for your most important work-related activities. Avoid checking your emails and phone every few minutes, as those are major time-wasting tasks that derail your attention and productivity.
5. Ask Questions Early
If you have an issue with a certain task, consider asking someone for help as soon as you encounter it, whether it's a manager or a team member you think might know the answer. Although you may think it's more rewarding to solve the issue yourself, immediately seeking help can help you find the solution quicker, allowing you to complete the task in less time.
