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“Work life balance” - an expression thrown around by a lot of employers and workers. It’s an attractive state of life and something that businesses all wish to provide, or even think they do. However, it’s not all about the employers - it's really down to the worker as well. Continue reading to discover how to achieve work life balance. Work Life Balance Definition The meaning of work life balance is having physical and mental equality in between the effort spent on work and the effort you spend on the rest of your lifestyle. It’s about creating a balance between the time you’re carrying out work and tasks linked to work, and the time allocated to the rest of your life, such as friends, family and hobbies. Why is it so important? The Importance Of Work Life Balance So, we’ve discovered the definition of work life balance. Now we need to find out why it’s so significant. Why is it advisable to have a balance between your work and life? There are quite a few for this. One good reason for this is basically that you need to give yourself a mental break from work. The effort and concentration needed for your work, whether you understand it or not, is quite a lot. The type of job you've got can vary this, but most IT jobs involve a significant amount of mental concentration. A number of people in the trade industries as well as other physical jobs often feel sore after a long day. It’s comparable for working in IT - working a long day can make you mentally tired. Your body needs time for you to get over this. You'll want to rest and take a break from work in order to recover - this is done in the “life” section of the work life balance equation. Spend time doing what you like, other than work. One other reason for having a work life balance is it is ideal for your overall health. Working constantly isn’t great for your health - it can cause stress, and also since you’re working you won’t be exercising much which also isn’t healthy for you. These might not be short-term issues but after a while they can build up. There are additional things outside of work that are essential in our lives. Even though the aim of this blog is to provide information on tips on how to improve your IT career, I realise it’s not the only thing in your life. One way to enhance your IT career is to have a balance between the work you do and the life you live. It has an indirect way of helping your career. The Benefits Of A Work Life Balance What’s so good about having a work life balance? There are several benefits to having a break between work time. In my opinion it can make you more productive and efficient over the long term. Spending time away from work will let your mind and body restore, as stated before. This will make you focused when you need to be - during work hours. This may also improve your overall life by increasing your relationships with others. Getting closer to family and friends, trying interesting things and getting into hobbies could make you feel good and boost your mental state. These areas usually make you feel better about yourself, and consequently improving the way you go about your work and improving your career. How To Achieve Work Life Balance Well, we’ve discussed the meaning, the value and benefits of this concept. Now, how do we put it into action? I’ve detailed a few points below that I’ve tried to use and some that I’ve been told: Leave Work At Work - It can be tempting to bring work home after you leave the office. Getting just those few extra items done seems hard at work, but getting them finished at home means you have a fresh start the following day. This could seem like a good idea - and it’s something that can be good, but only in moderation. If you’re taking work home often, you won’t be capable of draw the line between work life and private life. It will take a toll on you, mentally, in the long run. Locate A Hobby - There’s a lot more to life and work, and that’s why there are plenty of hobbies and activities people are enthusiastic about. One of the things I like to do is play basketball. It’s fun, social and good for health and fitness. Other people I know like to cycle, play video games, make homemade beer, learn video editing, read travel books, take up martial arts, and lots of other activities. It may even be something less complicated like cooking dinner or watching a few TV shows. It gives you a rest from work and offers benefits that you don’t otherwise get. Learn what your passions are and try new things beyond work. Socialise - Being with others is a great way to accomplish work life balance. Whether this is socialising with fellow workers, friends or family, the action of heading out and spending time with people has wonderful benefits and helps to balance your lifestyle. You can learn new things and have fun. Set Your Peak Periods - Sometimes you can’t help it - work has to be done by a certain date or something has to be done as soon as possible. This is typical in the IT world. However, over the long term, it ought to balance out. You might need to work hard for several months. After that, you might slow down a small amount. The intention of this point is to balance the high-volume or peak durations of work with the non-peak times. If you work in a company or industry that has peak cycles (for example, finance companies may get busy at the end of the financial year), you'll be able to revolve around those as required. Take A Holiday - Among the finest ways to have a work life balance is just to take a holiday. It doesn’t really need to be extravagant - you can take a day or two off to go for a drive, get a weekend away somewhere, or you might take a few weeks off to go international. The goal is to get out of work and give yourself a mental and physical break. It’s an effective way of providing yourself more balance in your life. Make A Change In Your Life - Occasionally things simply need to change for you to get a better balance. If you drive to work, you could find that taking public transport is an option that might help. You may want to go running each day before work. Choosing to go out and eat at a nearby restaurant once weekly is another way. It adds a bit of variety to life and can make you feel rejuvenated. Stop Trying To Do It All - A number of us overcommit to the amount of things that we do in life. This is especially valid as we grow older and have a family and kids. Seeking to do everything can mean that we do none of those things well. You ought to learn how to acknowledge your limits and not try to tackle too many things at once. This is applicable both to work tasks and things at home. For more IT career tips and information on how YOU can improve YOUR IT career, visit Complete IT Professional
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