Balancing Your Need To Be Valuable and Productive With Having A Personal Life

The email inbox on your phone always displays that red circle with a double or even triple-digit number in the center.

The same could be said about your call log, missed calls, text messages, and voicemails.

You can't seem to stay on top of it all. There just aren't enough hours in the work week. Even after coming into the office early and staying later each night, you still find yourself working on weekends.

You're giving way more than the standard 40 hours a week. You've always strived for a work-life balance, but you're struggling to actually implement that into your daily life.

Here's how to balance your need to be valuable and productive with having a personal life.

Set boundaries.

If you're constantly making yourself available for your colleagues and clients but you're considering your wants and needs, you're bound for burnout.

To avoid burning out, try setting boundaries. Boundaries will look different for each person setting them, but you should consider implementing a few of them to see what works best for you.

This can be easier said than done, but when you leave work for the day, try not to think or act on any work-related emails, phone calls, or projects. Leave work at work. This will ensure that you have enough time each night for yourself and your personal wants and needs.

If possible, have a phone just for work-related items. This will help ensure that your work and personal items are kept separately. If it isn't possible to have a completely different phone, try creating separate pages, using different browsers, or filters for work versus personal items.

Prioritize your health.

Your health should be one of your main priorities. When you're not feeling your best, you would normally take a sick day. This ensures that you have time to get better but that you're also not spreading whatever sickness you have to your coworkers.

If you're not feeling your best mentally, it's also important to take a sick day or a mental health day. Make sure you're doing things that will keep you healthy and prevent you from getting sick as well.

Aim to fuel your body with healthy and well-balanced meals. You should also make your sleep a priority and aim to get at least 8 hours every single night. A great way to reduce your stress naturally is to get your body moving.

Prioritizing your health will make you healthier and happier. If you're taking the necessary steps to be healthy, you'll end up taking fewer sick days and becoming more productive.

It's okay to unplug.

In today's world, it's easy to feel like you have to constantly be online or working 24/7. This isn't realistic for anyone, no matter how hard of a worker you are. It's okay to unplug from time to time.

Allow yourself time to think and feel about different things other than just work.

Unplugging could be as simple as listening to an audiobook, checking the news, or practicing meditation during your commute to work instead of checking work emails.

Use some PTO.

If your schedule allows it, use some of your personal time off. PTO could mean taking a staycation or planning a full-on vacation in a different city, state, or country.

Make time for yourself and your loved ones. Personal time is extremely important for your mental and physical health.

Seek additional support.

It's extremely important to find a work-life balance.

If you're struggling with finding a healthy balance in your current schedule and routine, a therapist can help you find ways to manage and cope with it all.

You're not alone in how you're feeling. You can be valuable and productive while still having a personal life. Reach out to me today to schedule a consultation. Counseling For Professionals can help you learn to balance both areas of your life.