Work-Life Balance: A More Practical Way of Finding Peace

Most people tend to focus on what happens during their 9 to 5, which leaves them with little to no energy to cater to their 5 to 9 personal time.

Every working adult and a career-oriented person has probably received bits of advice about managing both work and personal life together. Some people are lucky enough to figure out a way to balance these life aspects, while it can still be tricky for others to do so.

What is Work-Life balance?

Work-Life balance is how we prioritize the different demands that come our way. Each person’s way of balancing other parts of life may vary and look different. There really is no perfect way to have a “work-life balance” routine. It is up to us to find harmony in life’s many aspects and create a regimen that works for us.

Importance of Work-Life balance

Aside from allowing us to attend to things that are important to us outside of work, having a harmonic balance in life will help reduce stress and prevent us from experiencing burnout. Chronic stress is one of the common health issues that people in workplaces experience. This can lead to health problems and potentially cause hypertension, digestive problems, and even affect your mental health. So creating a routine that lets you separate different aspects of your life can be beneficial to you and your health.

However, while our career is one thing that we give importance to, several things still play a big role in our lives.

What are the 4 quadrants of life?

According to the Four Burners Theory, four stoves represent four aspects of your life which are:

• Health

• Family

• Friends

• Work

The theory is all about trade-offs, meaning that you need to make sacrifices in order to achieve success and attain the life balance you desire.

The pressure of today’s society

Being placed in a situation where we must eliminate some of these aspects can be conflicting and difficult. To an extent, we may even consider ways to compromise so that we can attend to all four burners of life.

One thing about today’s time is that we feel the need to do everything at once. We see other people doing big things in their lives. Because of this, it makes us feel like we must also have incredible achievements to compete.

As a result, we try to do more of everything. We tend to think we have to do everything at once when instead, it’s smarter and more productive to prioritize things that we genuinely care about.

The reality of Work-Life balance

Work-Life balance does not mean equal balance for everything that we do. It means being flexible in how you allot time for the things that matter to you. We shouldn't feel constricted about how we spend our days. In fact, life should be more fluid, where changes can freely occur without disrupting our peace of mind.

How do you balance work and personal life?

Different things work for everyone, but if you haven’t figured out how you can attain the right balance that you need in life, here are some tips that can be helpful for you.

1. Plan out your day

When trying out something new, remember that it is important always to start small. You can simply try plotting your day and allotting time for each task and activity that you have. Do this the night before or first thing in the morning before you embark on your daily journey.

If you have a jam-packed day ahead, don’t forget to bring out your daily partner essentials to ensure you will get through everything.

Of course, don’t forget to hydrate yourself as well. Whether you’ll be staying at home to work or running errands outside, it is important that you have a reliable water bottle with you all the time.

2. Embrace constraints

One thing about trying to attend to every demand that comes your way is it can be overwhelming. While it is good to be able to do everything at once, it won’t hurt to acknowledge your limitations.

Your time won’t be the same every day. Other aspects of your life may be more demanding than how it was a few days ago. Your priorities can change from time to time, and that is okay.

Accept the constraints and embrace the limitations. This will also help you to focus more on positive things than negative ones. In addition, this can actually help you be more productive and avoid procrastinating on your goals.

3. Establish boundaries

Boundaries aren’t just for separating your work and personal life from each other; they can also be used in other aspects like your relationships. It is important that you set clear, fair, and realistic limitations on what you will and will not do for certain things. Doing this helps in reassuring yourself that you are doing things of your own will and not because of other’s expectations.

4. Determine the seasons of life

Just like how the world goes through different seasons every year, your life is no different, and your priorities will continuously change. So instead of aiming for a work-life balance routine that works all the time, identify segments of your life and determine the things you want to focus on.

Instead of pushing yourself and attending to every demand, set the things you want to prioritize at the moment and choose what you can focus on later. In this way, you will feel less pressured to do everything at once.

The way each person defines balance can differ from one another. What works for you may not work for others, so it is important for you to determine what will personally make you happy.

While you’re eager to cater to every demand, you’ll find more peace in letting some things go. You cannot hold onto several things at the same time. Instead, find comfort in knowing that things continuously change in life. Be at peace in not having all of the burners of your life burning simultaneously. Allow them to light up and burn in their designated seasons. — (TGM)