Why is it, that when you’re working long hours and struggling for cash, other people seem to have simple 9-5 jobs, get paid a fortune and have money to do the fun stuff that weekends are made for?
When you’ve constantly got your nose to the grindstone, you’ve got to find ways to get a good work life balance, especially when you throw children and housework into the mix. Read on to discover some work life balance tips that might help you get a better perspective on life.
Are Brits working too much?
If you think you work too much, you’re not alone. According to a recent survey, almost three quarters (71%) of office staff are so overwhelmed with work they have to do overtime, which is not always paid. Brits spend more than 51 hours a year working late, with two thirds (63%) of staff still in the office late at least once every week, while 6% are never home on time.
Despite the ridiculously long hours, a third of UK workers have had a pay cut in the last five years. But it’s not just salaries that are being cut as staff are seeing their benefits reduced including pensions, bonuses, overtime and holidays.
The poll also showed that half of UK workers are struggling to make ends meet and even resort to selling things online, betting or gambling, or doing odd jobs for money. Nearly 7% of Brits have taken a second job to help them pay their rent or mortgage.
What is a good work life balance?
With technology making work accessible 24 hours a day, it can seem impossible to get away from your desk – even if you’re not physically there.
Balancing life and work does not necessarily mean two equal parts as priorities today will be different tomorrow. What it does mean, is making life work for you and this will depend on your age – whether you are need retiring or just starting your career. A good life work balance means not spending your hours at home – when you should be relaxing or spending time with your family – slaving away endlessly when you’ve already done a full day’s work.
Work should be rewarding and you should feel like you are achieving your goals. However, life should be fluid and it’s so important to have time to unwind. If you work too hard, you will burn out and this could affect your health, physically and mentally.
Good work life balance tips
- Delegate chores to others – Often you will sit and think, I could do this better or faster if I did it myself. But in doing this, you end up piling more and work upon yourself that you could easily ask others to help you with.
- Just say no – Honesty is the best policy when it comes to your workload. If you don’t have time to do something, you’re likely to rush it, make mistakes and then get in even more bother. So, say no and don’t spend hours beavering away when you should be going home.
- Prioritise and save time – Set realistic deadlines for yourself and have a diary clearly marked with when things need to be done. This will help you be more organised, enabling you to prioritise your workflow.
- Switch off work mode at home time – It’s essential that you leave work at work. Don’t be tempted to put your work emails on your phone or you’ll be constantly checking them and worrying about things you haven’t done.
- Make family time count – Lots of people would say their balance is tipped too heavily towards work. Make time for the most basic activities, such as sitting round for a family meal, reading a story at bedtime and arranging a fun trip for the weekend. This can boost your spirits and give you something to look forward to.
Hopefully you have seen why it is important to maintain a good work life balance and you’ll be able to use our tips to get a better equilibrium in your life. Regularly taking time to recharge your batteries will help you cope much better during stressful times at work. Spending less time at work will improve productivity when you are there.
