Check out this blog from a previous client as she shares the importance in finding a work and social life balance:
“Don't get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.” -Dolly Parton
Life is all about balance. More specifically, finding and maintaining the correct balance. We all don’t want to spend the rest of our lives working it away to only realize we never fulfilled half of the goals we set. It’s important to set aside time to adventure and explore all this world has to offer, especially for our mental health. Working ourselves to death is unfortunately how our society functions nowadays, but YOU ultimately control such a balance. Here are some suggestions for how to get your life to where you want to be and training yourself to have a work and social life balance.
Make a list of the non-negotiable priorities. Work is obviously a priority, especially if you’re on a time constraint. Work hard, play hard is my rule. It will feel so rewarding once you’ve accomplished your checklist for work and get to enjoy the rest of the day to yourself. First thing in the morning, create a list of five tasks, both work-related and personal. Keep work tasks at the top of the list though! At the end of the day, once you’ve managed to check at least three of these off your lists, you’ll feel like your day wasn’t wasted. It gives you the opportunity to look at your highest priorities for the following day as well. It will help maintain organization and keep you motivated to get down your list of tasks.
Embrace life for all it has to offer. We all have long work days. The 12 hour days that seem endless, the days where coffee never seems to help. However, here’s the thing we tend to forget; life is too short. If a close friend asks you to grab drinks after work, do it! Even if it’s only one margarita and you’re in yoga pants, you’ll be thankful you did. It’s important to set aside time for friends and family. Long work days can be exhausting, but setting aside time to focus on something other than work is important. It is okay to say no sometimes because there will always be a “next time”, but splurge on yourself every once in a while. Remember you work hard and deserve it.
Plan a schedule and set goals. Setting a schedule for yourself will help you keep your sanity during a busy week and help maintain a sense of organization among the chaos we call life. Setting both long-term and short-term goals will help you as well to maintain that work and social life balance. Set aside a weekend a month to go out and do something you’ve always had on your bucket list. It’ll give you something to look forward to and give you motivation to keep working hard and remaining focused on your weekly tasks.
Take time to review yourself both internally and externally. Sometimes we need a “mental health day” just to relax from the busy work week and examine where we’re at, both mentally and physically. Maybe this is your time to catch up on sleep or binge watch your favorite Netflix shows, but it’s needed on a weekly basis. Not that being social isn’t important, but it’s also encouraged to spend some time alone, even if it’s only for a few hours. Go on a hike and take in the fresh air, or grab a cup of coffee and treat yourself to an ice cream cone. Whatever it is that makes you happy, make sure to take some time for YOU.
Regardless of what most people would say, it is definitely possible to have a work and social life balance. If a planner works for you, try it! Organizing your life will only help you feel better, both physically and mentally. Find a groove that works for you, splurge a little sometimes, and don’t hesitate to spend an extra hour past your bedtime to hang out with your closest friends.