Knowing how to manage your work-life balance is both essential and challenging. And, in recent times, the pandemic has spiced things up. With nationwide lockdowns and restrictions on social gatherings, we have found refuge in the virtual world. As the world shifted to work-from-home mode, the line between our personal and professional space took a hit.

Technology has increased expectations of constant accessibility. As a result, we often get pulled into work while spending quality time with family or relaxing after a long day. It not only cuts short our family time but also affects our mental health in the long run.

A Monster.com survey shows 60% of working Indians rate work-life balance from average to terrible. Therefore, in a time like this, we need to learn how to carve out time for our personal lives and simultaneously find ways to work efficiently.

A harmonious work-life balance brings overall improvement in our career, physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Many try but end up in circles. But not you. We are here to help you with some of the easiest ways to manage your work-life balance and get the best of both worlds.

Check out the 5 easy ways that can help you manage your work-life balance.

Manage your Time

Simply dividing the hours in a day evenly between work and personal life would not suffice. To manage your work-life balance, get your job done while still having time and energy to enjoy your personal life. We must understand that our personal life is equally important as our professional one.

An imbalance between personal and professional lives has many implications. Often seen, the children are at the receiving end. With parents or caregivers immersed in work a very little time is left to spend with the children.

Time management is a big issue for everyone. Driven by the desire to excel in our careers, we often work overtime. In the long run, this takes a toll on our health. We have seen that breaks, time-off, and self-care result in more productivity in a lesser time.

Therefore, it is time to work smart. Maintain a fixed working hour and log off when it is over. Remember, an obsessive desire for perfectionism becomes destructive. Instead, finish your work in time and give yourself the time to unwind and rejuvenate for the next day.

Reduce Distractions

Knowing the priorities of your life is very important. It will help you see things clearly and sort them accordingly. Identify yours and draw boundaries to devote your quality time to things that matter. In this way, you can reduce distractions and can manage your work-life balance.

Trim your schedule if you find yourself spending more time on trivial activities. If mindless social media scrolling or internet surfing is taking up your time, turn off the notifications. Allot and limit the time spent on these. Focus on people and activities that will reward you the most.

Working from home, we have seen numerous instances of family members or pets barging into our workspace. While it is cute and hilarious at times, it can also disrupt your work. Therefore, try to set some rules or practice various positive action rewards or predictable routines with your pets.

Exercise and Meditate

Easiest to say but the hardest one to achieve. We need to make time for these two crucial things in life. They hold the key to the whole balancing act.

Start prioritizing your health. Lack of sleep, depression, anxiety, irritability, and hypertension are the top work-related illnesses of the present generation, followed closely by back pain, frequent headaches, fatigue, and obesity.

Find a time that suits you. It can be early morning, or in a subway while commuting, or a short break from work. Start with five minutes of meditation and be consistent. Walk a little. Take the stairs instead of the escalator. Exercise releases endorphins, an effective stress reducer. To remain healthy and excel in work and personal lives, you need a sound mind and body together.

Unplug and take a Vacation

When was the last time you chilled out with your friends or family without a care in the world? It is necessary to take time off to physically and mentally recharge. Unplugging and taking some time off is one of the most crucial tips you need to follow to manage your work-life balance.

Expedia annual Vacation Deprivation Report reveals 75% of Indians feel vacation deprived. The survey also shows missing out on important work decisions, fear of being seen as less committed, or finding it difficult to coordinate the time with their travel companion are some of the most common reasons that are keeping Indians away from taking vacations.

It’s time to break away from this old-school thought. It is necessary to understand that if you feel burnt out or are unhappy in life, there will be no meaning in all the efforts you put into it. You must learn to manage your work-life balance and have peace at both ends.

Taking a break from the outside world reduces stress and anxiety. It makes us more focused, relaxed, productive and motivated at work post-vacation. It helps to recharge both physically and mentally.

Do the things you Love

We have seen hobbies taking a backseat when we start working. Balancing work and family takes up the lion’s share. It does not leave for good old me-time. Take your time to rejuvenate, recharge, and carry on.

During this pandemic and with work from home, we have seen people revive their old hobbies and pursue new ones. Mouth-watering food images cooked by amateur chefs flooded all the social media platforms. We saw creativity on a whole new level.

An integral part of knowing how to manage your work-life balance is to do the things you love. Reconnect with yourself. Along with the work-life balance, integration between work and personal life is essential for achieving higher productivity and happiness in life.

Knowing how to manage your work-life balance is more necessary when our home is also our workplace. Habits accumulate over time, and it is with the time that you can rewrite them. Take one step at a time and be consistent. We know you can do it!