Now so many of us have constant access to our emails on our smartphones and tablets, we know it can be tempting to just “quickly” check them at home in the evening. Suddenly a five-minute check turns into an hour and a half, 10 more emails and 3 phone calls. The pressures of work can pile up sometimes, but it’s more important than ever to make sure you have an effective work/social life balance to ensure a healthy mind. So we’ve put together some tips on how to help keep the balance just right.
Be social
No matter how busy or weighed down you may feel, it is important to still make time to maintain contact with your family and friends. Instead of burning the midnight oil at the office or going home carrying the stresses of the day, take some time out for the ones you love. Whether it’s a quick drink after work, going to see a movie or having your family over for dinner, doing something after work that you enjoy and is non-work related will help you relax; keeping you happy and healthy.
Take holidays
Everyone is entitled to a holiday, yes, even if you work for yourself! It may seem like an impossible notion to pack up and jet off for two weeks when you’re running your own business, but it’s important to make it possible. Going away, taking a break and switching off will help you feel refreshed and give your body a chance to fully re-charge their batteries. It means that you will come back to work feeling well-rested, and be more productive than ever.
Be efficient with your time
We know that being social and finding the time for a holiday is important, but of course the work still needs to get done, hence the phrase work AND social life balance. Being efficient and strict with your time will help you achieve both a complete to-do list and a healthy social life. When you’re at work focus on the task in hand and give it your full attention, try to avoid distractions like texts and social media. This will help you focus and produce your best work most efficiently. Before you leave the office make a to-do list for the next day, this will help you feel organised and prepared in advance so nothing gets missed.
Create your own working hours
There are numerous studies that show that working 9-5 isn’t the most effective way of working for lots of us. You may be more of an early riser or perhaps a night owl, either way we all know that we would be much more productive if we created our own working hours. As well as boosting productivity, creating your own schedule can help you balance and make time for your social life and any family commitments you may have. Co-working is perfect for this, with 24/7 access to our dedicated desks you can work the hours that suit you, why not give it a go and see if it’s for you.
