Importance of Work-Life Balance
In modern western society, driven individuals wear productivity as a badge of honor. Have you ever caught yourself humbly bragging about how little you’ve slept, how many hours you’ve worked, or how packed your calendars is? As the value we put on performance continues to rise, employees are spending increasing amounts of time in the office. While you may think you are plunging toward your goals, studies show that overworked employees are less efficient. Longer working hours reflect increased stress levels and distractions. Neglecting to nurture a healthy work-life balance can actually be detrimental to your success.
Most of us equate ambition and hard work with productivity. Many entrepreneurs feel shame for taking time off to rest. But one of the key components to a productive mindset is allowing the body to refuel. You achieve more during work hours when you take effective time off to connect with family, relax the mind, and handle personal matters away from the office.
Stop Always Being Available
Somewhere along the line, entrepreneurs became associated with always being on the clock. This expectation that we must always be available is counteracting genuine productivity. It is necessary to explore methods and create schedules that allow us to have focused time during business hours, and truly disconnect from the job when we leave the office. As someone who runs your own business, it can feel impossible. But finding solutions that balance our lives at home and at work can pay back in dividends.
“People who feel they have good work-life balance work 21% harder than those who don’t,” according to a survey from the Corporate Executive Board, representing 80% of Fortune 500 companies. So how do you create a schedule that increases your happiness, and therefore your productivity?
Clock Out When You Clock Out
Most of us no longer function on a typical 9-5 schedule. Nearly half of full-time American workers log more than 50 hours per week, and 20% work more than 60 hours, according to a Gallup poll. While you may not have an actual time clock, it is essential to set boundaries and specify working hours.
When we don’t create a separation between our working and personal lives, we multitask. When we multitask, our work is never truly getting our undivided attention, and our personal lives aren’t either. If you don’t give yourselves hours off the clock to handle personal matters, those tasks ultimately will need to be completed when you should be focused on work.
Create Space for Personal Matters
According to 2017 Office Pulse study, professionals are increasingly conducting personal activities at the office. “88% go online for personal needs, 78% go shopping, 72% run errands, and 57% of Americans use part of their workday to plan their next vacation.” Yet most of those people are still answering emails and taking work calls at home. Make a conscious effort to disconnect from work at a specific time of day. This will allow you to handle personal errands tasks, spend time with family, and maintain a social life, without hindering the productivity of your business.
If you’re like me, the amount of quality time I spend with my family is congruent to my happiness. Studies show that happier employees are more productive. If we want to live lives that are equally fulfilled as they are efficient, we must put as much focus on keeping personal and family time sacred as we put on achieving our next goal.