Getting Better with Your Time Management for Work/Life Balance

We all know, that achieving optimal work/life balance is not always achievable - here at KINDfulness Coaching we strive for work/life integration so let’s go with that!

Why do I struggle with work/life balance?

Some people just don’t understand the importance of work/life balance and how it can impact both physical and emotional well-being, therefore they may not do anything about it.

There are many reason that people may struggle with work/life balance, common factors might include:

• Increased responsibilities at work

• Longer hours

• Short staffing

• Stress at home

The consequences of no work-life balance 

Consequences of no work/life balance vary for each person, however it is safe to say that most people will see an increase in stress (either work stress or home stress). The tolls of stress and difficulty finding a healthy work/life balance can not only impact your mind but also your body and how you feel.

Not having a healthy work life balance can leave you feeling constantly fatigued, with no energy - no matter what you do. Without adequate energy, putting simple time management techniques into place seem almost impossible.

The increase of stress related to limited work/life balance can also have take an emotional toll on your body. Your body may experience a lack of proper sleep which can make you susceptible to burnout, anxiety or depression.

What can I do to improve my work/life balance?

Time management is key - we all have the same 24 hours in a day, you get to decide how you spend it.

How you use the time you have will determine the work/life balance (or integration!) you maintain each day. Identifying what matters most and what your priorities are help you to practice time management values every day. Unfortunately, many people find themselves stuck in the cycle of prioritizing work over their personal life.

1. Identify Your Priorities 

The first step in achieving work-life balance is determining just how much you have to do in a day and what’s the most important, not only for work but also for you. What are your personal priorities or non negotiables? Knowing your priorities can help you to plan for your day so that you’re not leaving out what you need most in your day and in your life. Take the time to consider what matters most to you and make the time for it, think about what makes you happy and ensure that you integrate these into your day. Allow them to become a routine, don’t wait until you have time for what you love - you’ll be waiting forever and likely you’ll find yourself putting it off.

2. Conduct A Time Audit

This is part of the planning phase when you are looking to increase your work/life balance by utilizing time management tips or techniques.

• Spend the whole day looking at what tasks you do, when.

• You will start noticing gaps or opportunities where you could set boundaries

3. Swallow the Frog

Mark Twain once said, If you have to eat a frog, do it first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you for the rest of the day. You know that task you dread, or have been putting it off. Complete it first thing in the morning, when you have the most energy and focus in your day. This not only helps you to identify the most difficult tasks and sets you up for success early.

4. Robin Sharma’s 60/10 Method

Research shows It's not always about how much you do, but how you recover, pay attention to your work/rest ratios. Plan to work for 60 minutes with limited distractions, set a timer for focused work and then plan a 10 minute rest. During this rest, you can stand, walk around, use this time for a healthy snack or to refill your water bottle - use it is as refresh and recharge.

5. Time Blocking

Time Blocking allows you to use your time more wisely and focus your effort on one thing rather than trying to swap tasks throughout the day without a plan. Time blocking helps you to transform your use of time to increase your work/life balance.

6. Eliminate Distractions and Set Boundaries

We are all guilty of allowing distractions to get in the way of getting our work done which can lead to a decrease in work/life balance. Think about it…when your work is taking longer to do or not getting done because of distractions, you might have to stay late or take your work home with you - if not, it’s still on your mind when you get home and you may not be fully present even though you are physically present.

Distractions are the biggest time suck during the day. Here’s an example…Americans check their phones 262 x per day, 1 x every 5.5 minutes - that’s 3.5 hours each day… what could you do with an extra 3.5 hours per day.

By eliminating distractions and setting boundaries around your time, you can significantly improve your work/life balance.

How Do We Put Time Management Tips Into Practice?

• Use your mornings intentionally

• Set your self up for success the night before

• Just like you need boundaries with life, you also need with time

• When you have less on your to do list, with more flexibility you are actually less productive than when you have 2 hour time blocks of focused work

• Find what works best for you!