What’s your best tip for achieving a good work life balance?

As a freelancer, I've always had the power to create my own schedule. But in the beginning, I still stuck to a typical Monday through Friday, 8:30-to-5 schedule because it's all I've ever known. I didn't realize that I could be just as effective in my work if I chose a different schedule. In 2022, I decided to test something different -- a 4-day work week. This schedule has since evolved even more, allowing me time to work in a few barre classes some weekday mornings and shorten my workdays to free up more time with my family. My work-life balance has never been better. I feel more fulfilled, have more free time, and can handle all of life's little annoyances (e.g. dental appointments, household chores) without feeling overwhelmed.

Ensure that you 'block out' time in your daily calendar to step away from your desk. Whether that's taking a walk, meditating or going to the gym to exercise, it's important to be physically removed from your desk and to actively work on something that separates you from your workplace or work station.

The best method that has worked for me and will certainly work for you to enhance your work-life balance is prioritizing your health. Your general physical, emotional, and mental wellness should be your top priority. If you have anxiety or despair and think therapy may help you, book those appointments even if it means skipping your nightly spin class or leaving work early. Do not be reluctant to call in sick when you are unhappy if you have a chronic condition. You can't get well if you overwork yourself, and you might have to take more days off in the future. Putting your health first will make you a better person and employee. You'll miss fewer deadlines, be more content, and work more when you're there. It is unnecessary to take radical or severe measures to prioritize your health. It might be very easy and comfortable, like regular exercise or meditation.

Reaching a healthy work-life balance is crucial, especially when you're putting in more than 40 hours a week. However, there are approaches you can use to accomplish it without exhausting yourself. Take the weekend—or, at the very least, Sunday—off. One of the easiest ways to achieve balance, no matter how hard you work. You'll get caught in a vicious cycle if you're always available because people will start to expect it. However, scheduling a regular day of rest allows you to schedule productive time off in the same manner as you schedule your workweek. It also provides you with the mental calmness to unwind and recharge so that you can give your full attention to work when you do return to it. Don't worry about what people may think of your vacation or who you may disappoint. Setting reasonable boundaries will help you feel less pressure and may even earn you all more respect from others.

When your work day is over, let it be over. One of the hardest things about maintaining a good work-life balance is competing with the technology that keeps us all so connected. Between push alerts to phones and messaging apps, it's easy to get distracted by a work issue that comes up after-hours. When you're done working for the day, make a concerted effort to avoid checking work emails or replying to non-urgent messages. If it's not a crisis, it can wait until you've had some time to relax and rest.

It’s not easy to achieve a good work-life balance, but one thing that can help is to keep track of your time. Many people don’t realize how much time they spend working, and they don’t realize how much it is affecting their life outside of work. If you keep track of your time, you will know exactly how much time you are spending on work-related tasks and how much time you are spending on other things. This will help you to determine if you need to cut down on your time spent working or if you are able to spend more time working without it affecting your life outside of work.

I’ve never been a person who has functioned well after a nap. I don’t like the grogginess that comes after a nap and it usually takes me a while to get over it. I only nap when I am sleep-deprived, so I make sure to get a restful sleep every morning. Invest in a comfortable mattress and pillow and try to remain true to a specific bedtime each night. Avoid electronics in bed or anything else that might keep you up too late. Before long, you’ll find yourself following a specific sleep schedule. If you keep your bedtimes and wake-up times consistent, you will be refreshed and energized throughout the day. You’ll keep your stress level under control, too.

Fastidious office workers often compulsively spend lunch at their desks, considering a proper break to be time wasted rather than well spent. This perspective inevitably pervades their entire mind-set, resulting in work encroaching into their personal time, disrupting their work-life balance. However, the practice of eating at your desk can be used to your advantage. Instead of eating lunch during the lunch break itself, simply eat beforehand, then use the whole lunchbreak for something explicitly non-work related. For example, you could focus on increasing your step count, hit the gym, message friends or family, or simply take some time for yourself to diffuse. Remember, it’s called a “lunch break” because it occurs at lunch time, not because you are required to eat during that period.

One of the tips that I follow is setting boundaries between work and life. I recommend it for a number of reasons. When you’re able to separate the two, you can more easily find time to relax and enjoy your personal life. You’re also less likely to bring work stress home with you. In addition, setting boundaries can help you be more productive at work. When you have set hours for work, you’re more likely to focus and get things done. You’re less likely to waste time on personal tasks or browsing the internet. Additionally, make sure you take time for yourself every day. Even if it’s just a few minutes, carve out time to do something you enjoy. This can help you reduce stress and feel more energized to work.

To ensure that you have time for both your commitments at work and your relationships, try setting achievable goals that won't overwhelm your schedule. Identify challenging but realistic goals at work and select times in the day or week to reserve for yourself and your personal life. This will create a structure that builds both productivity and well-being while still allowing ample time to enjoy the elements of life that give you joy. Working with this mindset can help support your overall health and well-being while ensuring a good work-life balance.

Prioritizing healthy habits and better wellness is one best practice. By focusing on supportive actions and habits for better wellness, an individual will start to plan healthier because the negative habits and stressors are out of sight and out of mind in the planning process. If that is easier said than done, try habit-stacking, or putting many wellness-oriented activities in a row on a to do list. The structure will help the good habits stick better.

Prioritizing your work when you're at work and your personal life when you're not at work. Having strict boundaries between these two aspects of your life will help you to compartmentalize and not allow either life to suffer. For example, don't open your work emails when you're home with your family, and don't get distracted by personal things when you're clocked into work. This separation of your two lives is imperative to mastering the work-life balancing act.

1. Take frequent breaks away from the screen; I started walking at least once a day and took naps in the afternoons to recharge. 2. Clean up your workspace. This can be challenging to do when work is hard and you’re already stretched thin. Finding a small way to start (like focusing on one pile of papers) makes it easier to stop digging the hole and start making progress. 3. List your personal obligations, decide if they're worth continuing, and figure out ways to reduce time commitments or mental loads.

Set Clear Boundaries: One of the best tips for achieving a good work-life balance is to set clear boundaries between your work and personal life. This can include setting specific times for checking and responding to work emails or calls, as well as designated times for activities outside of work such as spending time with family and friends, pursuing hobbies, and taking care of your physical and mental health. Additionally, prioritizing and planning your tasks, delegating responsibilities, and saying no to unnecessary commitments can also help in achieving a good work-life balance.

Make sure you’re getting enough sleep. Exhaustion can cause you to perform poorly at work, forcing you to stay later to correct your mistakes. Consumed by work, you will not have as much time for other parts of your life. When you’re well-rested, you can remain fully present for both your professional and personal life, enriching both.

First, understand what work-life balance means to you. It's a term thrown around a lot, so getting clear on why it's important to you will create sustained motivation to set and maintain boundaries. Start by asking: Why is work-life balance important to me? How much time do I want to carve out for my personal life? What role do I want work to play in my life? When do I want colleagues to expect me to be available to respond to emails, calls, and other forms of communication? What is something I'm not willing to sacrifice anymore? What model do I want to set for my colleagues? After answering these questions, define the boundaries you want to set to maintain the balance you desire. Then list out everyone you will communicate those boundaries to (your boss, partner, friends, direct reports, clients, etc.). When you feel a boundary being crossed, return to your answer on why work-life balance is important to you and consider how you want to respond.

People who get less than 8 hours of sleep per night are more likely to experience symptoms of anxiety and depression, which can make coping with stress at work or in your personal life even more difficult. Work life balance is important, so tackle it by turning off your work cell phone at night. Then focus on being well rested so that you can make tomorrow a good day.

I have found the best way to achieve a better work life balance is through disconnecting. When I am finished with the workday, I intentionally disconnect from email and phone. I don’t allow myself to answer emails or work after hours. This allows me to instead focus on extracurricular activities and family. This intentional action has given me more freedom to pursue other interests. It also allows me to fully relax and rewind at the end of the day, so I can return to the office ready for a new day.

Work-life balance is of utmost importance. To maintain healthy boundaries between work and personal life, I schedule my day with a to-do list, setting specific goals. This helps me stay focused during my working hours and disconnect from work-related tasks during my personal time, which is dedicated instead to my interest and hobbies.

I'm a self-proclaimed expert on achieving the perfect work life balance. I've been trying to reach this goal for years, and after much trial and error, I think I've finally cracked the code! My best tip is simple: take breaks! It sounds counterintuitive, but it's true - taking regular breaks throughout your day can actually help you be more productive overall. When you give yourself moments of rest in between tasks, it helps clear your mind and reset your focus so that when you return to work, you're more energized and motivated than ever before. When I give talks about my advice for achieving a good work life balance, people are often surprised by how straightforward my tips are. From making sure to take time off each week to scheduling daily mini-breaks throughout the day - these small changes make a big difference in terms of productivity levels.