Work - Life Balance. How do we achieve it?

The Work - Life Balance that so many seek, yet a lot of people can only dream of, can be achieved with some planning. We live our lives in a very different way to our parents and most definitely in a completely alien way to younger generations. When analogue became digital and then everything became “social “, those who were not “up to date” with this 21st century change, feared being left behind. However, embracing the changes by using these resources and tools to help improve your personal and professional, can prove beneficial.

Technology offers us the ability to do everything from shopping to meditation- it’s all there on your smartphone or device. The list is endless and so are the Apps available to us. Yet, the traditional combined with the current trends can assist with having a much more balanced life.

1.Time is our most valuable commodity, but there just never seems to be enough of it. Use your time wisely- there are 164 hours in every week, so calculate exactly how much time you need for your “daily” habits, your work time and your personal time. You will be surprised how much time we waste doing not very much at all.

2. Plan and become a creature of habit. All the tech platforms give us the opportunity to pre-plan, pre-write, schedule any blog or article or Tweet we may want to publish. Spend part of your week or month scheduling in advance. In no time, you will have programmed tweets, articles, blogs and newsletters, you thought you would never have the time to write, way in advance.

3. Read. Read. Read. Not only does it enhance pretty much every aspect of life, it’s relaxing and helps you escape.

4. Take yourself, your team and your meetings outside. Perhaps not such a good idea during this wintry weather, but a walk around town, rather than sitting inside, can be beneficial for everyone.

5. The founder of FixFlo gave me a brilliant piece of advice - even if it’s just for a day, remove yourself from the usual day to day tasks. Spend your time doing something completely different just to recharge your batteries - go to a climbing wall, volunteer, go to a museum. Stop and reflect.

6. Switch off, unwind, recharge - the phone calls, texts and emails can wait. Incorporate the things you love into your week- it could be cooking or sports. Don’t wait for something negative to happen to remind you that life is there to be lived.

7. Positivity breeds positivity so surround yourself with like minded people. This will make a difference to your well-being.

8. Family, friends, health - the three key things that we cherish above and beyond anything materialistic or financial. Make the most of them, as they stand you in good stead forever.