Simple Tips to Find Your Ideal Work/Life Balance

April 11th 2018

You don’t have to live to work and work to live.

Ever since I graduated college, I dealt with the internal struggle of overcoming mental blocks pertaining to my professional life. The idea of working 40 hours of my week and limiting my “living” to the weekends is something that has filled me with dread for quite some time now. I am not the kind of person to sit still at a desk for 8 hours a day, but I also know that that is what is often required to make a “stable living”. However, the more I concentrated on the topic of a work/life balance, the more I’ve come to realize it is actually a more complex issue than I was making it.
You see, your life doesn’t have to be 80% work 20% life balance; there is actually a lot more living to be had if you allow yourself to to do so! One tip I have for balancing work and life is starting your days earlier! I know, to some, this may sound like absolute torture, but it really does make a difference. I wake up at 6:45AM most mornings to attend a 7:30 yoga class. This allows me to get relaxed and socialized before starting a long work day. It also makes me feel like I’ve gotten in some real “living time” before I get into more tedious activities.
Another tip I have is to have productive breaks at work. I like to write during my downtime at work (like I am right now) and I also like to take walks whenever I find the time. Don’t allow work to feel like an 8 hour dark period of your day, but instead, a period filled with a variety of tasks that are both personally and professional fulfilling.
Also, don’t wait for the weekend to live. See a movie on a Wednesday night, go mini golfing on a Monday, rock climb on a Thursday…the possibilities are endless! There is no one stopping you from living your best life every day of the week, except yourself. Don’t fall into the routine of going to work and going home every day! Let yourself live.
I have found that I feel way more fulfilled and motivated at work when my social calendar is filled with things to look forward to! Fun plans and trips and events make the work week fly by and allow me to make memories outside of a cubicle and out in the real work.
Find a balance of work and life that is perfect for you and watch the world change before your eyes~

Jess~