Being a woman is already a full-time job, and topping that by taking up the role of a working-class woman must be more tasking. Naturally, your personal life often needs more attention but is often neglected, because you have channelled the more significant bit of your energy into your 9-5.
Undoubtedly, running a business (or working a full-time job) is hectic and almost inevitable as you have bills to pay and a family to take care of. It requires a lot of dedication which often takes more from your personal life than you may realize. While you have the option of considering instant loan alternatives to help reduce financial stress, having a long-term work and personal life balance is crucial.
This article focuses on how women can make more time for themselves and shares 7 essential tips to consider for a manageable work and personal life balance. Read on to find out which is more suitable for your lifestyle.
Set Boundaries
Set precise times to indulge in your hobbies and stick to them. For example, if your working hours are 9-5 every day, ensure you stick to that and dedicate the rest of the remaining hours to relaxing. Overworking without properly incorporating leisure activities may be toxic and can leave you completely burned out.
Setting boundaries may be achievable among women working remotely or corporate entrepreneurs. This may be the case as they have more control over their schedules and can set clear boundaries for when they will be working and when they will not be available to do anything work-related.
Setting boundaries will give you a clear distinction between your work and personal life, with enough time to be actively involved in both aspects of your life.
Prioritize Your Health
Prioritizing your health does not necessarily mean you will not stay up all night after spending over eight hours in the office. Instead, it means while being productive at work, you equally take some time to take care of your well-being. You can do this by going to the gym, eating healthy, and spending time with your family and friends on days you are off work.
Prioritizing your health, also by extension, applies to work. Start by identifying your toxic work habits and devising a way to manage these habits for a more balanced work and personal life. When you prioritise your health, you may be more at peace and feel more fulfilled.
Take Relationships Seriously
Your work is essential, but that does not mean you always have to prioritize it over meaningful relationships. Of course, your friends and family are important, and you should always make time to show up for them and spend quality time with them. After all, the people you have created a good relationship with will be there for you even after retirement.
Aim to nurture your relationships with people, as they will be the ones to help you out when you miss your path or fall back into old habits that have been causing a lack of balance in your life.
Practice Self-compassion
Be easy on yourself because you are human. No human is perfect, and you should never strive for perfectionism because it’s a near-impossible feat. Instead, put in 100% and accept the results. Rome was not built in a day, so do not try to overwork yourself to be the best in your field from day one.
Perfectionism and procrastination go hand in hand. If you think everything has to be perfect, you might end up postponing the activity for when you most feel motivated — a recipe for disaster. Instead, take each day as it comes, eliminate worry and doubt, and, most importantly, believe in yourself. If you make mistakes ( which is normal), show compassion for yourself.
Ask For Help
When things get tough, try to avoid sorting them out on your own all the time. You are an independent lady (we get that), but asking for help when needed will not diminish your value.
Do not try to do everything alone because you want to take all the credit for your work or because you believe you should not be bothering others with your responsibilities. Remember, a problem shared is half solved, and you might get ideas you wouldn’t have thought about when you ask people you trust for help.
Say No When Necessary
You may need more than just setting boundaries alone to help people understand that you are trying to prioritize yourself. People may still ask you to do unnecessary things, and if you do not learn how to say no, they may take advantage of that.
For example, if a superior at work asks you to spend several nights at work because a target needs to be met, you must make them understand that those are out of your working hours. You should be duly compensated for your time should you agree to do the work. If your job is toxic, find another alternative (if possible), like getting a better job or starting that business you’ve always wanted to do.
Take Breaks
Whenever you catch a break, go and unwind and forget about anything work-related for that period. Spend holidays with your friends and family, and avoid indulging in work because you want to reduce your workload. If your company offers vacation days in a year, utilize them properly!
While completing tasks on time is a plus in your employer’s books, breaks also help you perform even better, and you will discover your body and brain are more relaxed and ready to work. The harsh truth is that if anything terrible happens to your health, it would be tagged your fault, and businesses would not close down because of you.
Conclusion
Women tend to attach more importance to work life and neglect personal life because they feel making money is more important. However, maintaining that work-life balance requires believing other aspects of your life are also as important. This growth mindset would help you recognize the toxic habits that have led to that struggle and help you eliminate them.
