How To Manage Your Work/ Life Balance

Wow, so 2021 huh!?

With yesterday’s announcement a lot of us will be faced with the prospect of working from home again. Or you may be living somewhere that means you’ll have to continue working from home, muddling through January till restrictions are reviewed. This may be leaving you feeling a little overwhelmed. And that’s completely understandable. Especially straight after New Year when you’ve laid out lots of resolutions and intentions for a better, more positive 2021!

Whatever your situation is right now, we’ve put together some thoughts than can help you through these next few weeks. We’ve included a couple things that worked for us last year, or that we want to try and focus on more this time around. Remember- it’s never too late to change your thinking and incorporate some healthy habits so that you’re smashing your work/ life balance. We’re all about giving yourself the best possible chance to get through whatever this year throws at you.

As always- you got this WFH cru!

Unplug

We all pretty much live our lives on our phones, whether that’s for work, music, hobbies – you name it! Phones and technology certainly makes our lives a whole lot easier to manage but it has also created expectations of constant accessibility. 

The work day never seems to end and we are all suckers for scrolling or answering ‘just one more email’ but there are some times when you should just shut off your phone & really enjoy the moment. 

Notifications can interrupt your off time & cause unwanted stress when you’re relaxing. Make quality time true quality time. Whether that’s just before bed, first thing in the morning or when you’re hanging out with your friends or family. By switching off for 30mins to an hour a day you will develop a stronger habit of resilience and a greater sense of control. It can also help in improving your sleep quality and helping you unwind before bed. Plus it’s just good to take some time away from hunching over a screen & appreciating the things around ya. 

Take A Lunch Break

Food is important to re-fuel the body, mind and keep that energy up to help you get through the rest of the day. I think we’re a little guilty of accidentally skipping lunch due to a busy work schedule or eating at our desk. 

Everyday try to make a point to step away from your desk or workspace to eat your lunch. Whether that’s stepping outside to grab some food from a local shop, or just going into a different room or area of a room (away from where you usually work) to eat. Pop some headphones in, or watch your favourite YouTube video – treat yo’self. It’ll improve your mood & help you finish your working day filled with a little energy boost. 

Communicate When Things Feel Too Much

Sometimes your workloads can be increased dramatically or suddenly due to demands of the job, taking on other co-workers responsibilities or some tasks taking longer to complete than you realised. Whatever the case is, you may have found your 40hr a week job feeling more like an 80hr one. If you find yourself feeling like this it’s important to take a moment and communicate the volume of your workload or the struggles you’re having with your teammates or bosses. 

Try writing reminders & prompts as to why you feel this is too much & the impact its having on your mental health, so you can talk to them in a clear and calm manner. Try explaining that its not too much for you to handle, but finding ways to reduce the impact would be super helpful on your mental health. Perhaps thats softening the deadline, getting help from teammates or outsourcing a section  of the work. Without communicating your worries the rest of the team may not understand the stresses you’re under, as each person deals with these situations differently. 

If you work on your own, or feel like you can’t speak to your co-workers there are lot’s of helplines out there to check out. We’ve got a few linked on our site, but a quick google should help you find the right place for you!

Wake Up A Little Earlier

Try waking up a little earlier than usual.  I know it can be hard, especially when it’s still dark outside. But even setting your alarm for 30 mins earlier than usual can make a huge difference. Take that extra 30 mins and do something for yourself before you plunge into your normal daily routine. Whether that’s a moment of journaling, reading, exercising or meditating – do it for yourself. 

This will help you start the day off correctly. You’ll feel better about the rest of your day, and you won’t have to worry about squeezing in time for this activity later.

If you found this useful you might wanna check out another blog post from last year; we gathered some top tips about working from home from a bunch of HATW friends. Stay strong friends!