5 Keys to Creating a Healthy Work-Life Balance

As millennials begin to take over the workforce, they may be in for longer hours. A global study conducted this year by EY has shown that managing work and home life has become increasingly difficult over the past five years, with millennials feeling most of the effects. According to the study, 38% of millennials said they would move to another country for a better work-life balance. There has to be a less extreme solution … right?

There are many approaches to finding the right combination of work time and personal time—here are some of the keys to creating a healthy work-life balance:

Set attainable goals 

If you can adhere to the old “eat the elephant one bite at a time” adage, your workload will instantly become less stressful. Being overwhelmed quickly leads to procrastination, which only compounds the issue and turns into an endless cycle. Start with smaller goals, work your way through each one, and before you know it, you will be making encouraging progress. And who doesn’t get a little warm and fuzzy inside when crossing something off the to-do list?

Change it up 

Actively seeking ways to keep yourself out of a rut can not only help save your sanity, but—dare I say—it might even make your work day a little fun. Switch up your morning routine, learn a new skill, attend a lunch and learn. Many companies offer diversions during the work day, but if yours doesn’t, simple things like watching a webinar or reading a book on your lunch break might be enough to do the trick.  HubSpot also has some great suggestions.

Turn it off 

As the popularity of BYOD and the mobile workforce increase, the lines between work and personal time are easily blurred. It’s easy and almost natural to check work emails from your phone when you’re at home, but there is increasing evidence that a “continuous work connection has very real health effects.”  Do yourself a favor and step away from the technology. Don’t ignore your responsibilities, but take breaks and be selfish with your personal time - giving your mind rest is vital to your health. And pretty please, use your vacation time!

Schedule “me” time 

Block off time on your calendar for yourself and treat it the way you would any other scheduled commitment. Whether it be an evening class, a ten minute morning walk, or even just a lunch break, knowing that you have time dedicated solely to what you want to do will help you get through the day. This is also an easy way to create boundaries between work time and personal time. Need some convincing on this “me” time thing? Check out this awesome infographic from Happify.com.

Make time for friends and family

They are your built-in support system, they keep you grounded and they usually offer sage advice. They are also the group that has the potential to suffer the most when work is stressing you out. A 2010 U.S. Council of Economic Advisors report showed that “46 percent of working men and women reported that their job demands interfered with their family life.” Dedicating time to those closest to you will not only save your relationships, but can help relieve some of your work stress (depending on your family, I suppose).

Finding the right combination of work time and personal time can be a challenge and there is definitely no one-size-fits-all solution. But taking the time to figure out what works for you, even if it’s just something simple, can have a huge impact on your workday and your well being.

How do you maintain a healthy work-life balance?