Thursday 25 / April / 2024
Your daily job should enable you to do things that you actually want to do. However (and unfortunately), a number of people allow it to work the other way round. If you are letting your job drain you out of all your energy, it’s probably time you reconsider your work-life balance and make some amends to your routine. No, we aren’t giving you any of those ‘tell-your-boss-a-no-and-walk-out’ advice. Here are a few practical and less drastic things you actually can do.
Set short-term goals at work – Ones which are easily achievable and won’t take till retirement. It could be anything — acing an important presentation, submitting a tender or even something as silly as getting through a hectic week without losing your cool. Reward yourself with some quality time once it’s done.
Use technology when you should – We use it for our entertainment all the time. Why not use it to help us out at work. Incorporate business planners to assist you in sticking to your schedule, use apps and software that reduce the time taken to formulate pitches and profiles, video conference with clients instead of wasting time travelling – there are dozens of ways technology can reduce our workload. Once the work is done, disconnect from technology instead of lingering on aimlessly.
Schedule a set number of hours for work – And stick to it, or at least try. Work has a tendency to pile on and never really seems to get over. Don’t fight it. Simply decide that you will not work more than a decided number of hours. Like twenty-four hours in a day, imagine that there are only so many hours you have to finish work. In those decided hours, steer away from distractions and work effectively. Then stop, and turn off.
Do up your workstation – This is a unique one. Keep pictures of good times spent with family and friends all around your table. Take pictures of yourself outdoors, engaging in sports or doing things you love. Let these pictures serve as constant reminders that you need to do more of that. Trust me when I say it, that picture of a fun, family trek — give it a good long stare and you’ll find a way to get out of work and do it all over again.
Stay healthy – Bingeing on fast food, not getting adequate sleep or skipping workouts are clear signs that your ‘work-life balance’ is way off track. Give time to holistic living. It’s not just something that millions of life coaches preach; in all honesty, it will only make you more productive at work. It’s a cycle — investing in healthy living increases productivity (so you can get done with things faster), and at the end, you’ll end up having even more time to dedicate back to healthy living. See how it goes?
Sign up for hobbies – You can do it with your loved ones or solo, but the idea is to sign up for classes. Pay that advance, and if you feel the pinch, even better! Yes, we said it. Do you know why? That’s because the guilt of missing classes will force you to make time and go. Deep-sea diving, anyone?
Antara Bose is a model turned fashion and beauty consultant. A popular blogger, anchor, and voice over artist, she maintains a deep connection with the local fashion, wellness and health industry. For fashion updates follow Antara on instagram @antarabose and on Facebook: Antara Bose.
