Work-life balance

Achieving a happy work–life balance is a struggle for employees of every generation around the world. Advances in technology are blurring the lines between home and work life, at the same time as economic pressures intensify. Research shows that employers who support their workers by offering flexible working arrangements and resources that relieve financial pressures will reap significant dividends.

Here are some quick tips to guide you to organise your time at work and outside the office.

Make a list of priorities

Getting your priorities straight is the first step in achieving a well-balanced life. This means figuring out what you want your priorities to be, not what you think they should be. If you had to cut down your life and only focus on one thing, what would it be? Your family? Your career? A hobby? Come up with a list of the five things that are most important to you. In an ideal world, you’d be able to devote all your time to the things that matter most. If some of your top five are being neglected, it could be time for a change in how you approach your life.

Remember to eat well and exercise regularly

Having a healthy diet and getting regular exercise does wonders for your energy levels as well as your general health. Healthy eating can especially be a huge boost. Even a few minutes of stretching or walking can help improve blood circulation and reduce stiffness. Find a way to move that works for you, whether it’s a quick workout at the gym during your lunch break or a walk around the office or your neighborhood. At the other extreme, working too much, feeling you’re under too much pressure and becoming stressed is bad for both your mental and physical health. Learning to say no when you’re too tired or already overloaded is an important skill.

Increase productivity at work

Get closer to achieving a healthier work-life balance by making sure that while you’re at work, you’re performing at your best and don’t spend longer than you need to complete your tasks. Think about how productive you are at work: do you experience regular interruptions that stop you from getting things done? What could you do to deal with them? Consider experimenting with options such as working remotely or turning your mobile or laptop every once in a while.

The main actions employers can take to support employees include:

• Offering flexible and remote working
• Encouraging managers to focus on productivity rather than working hours
• Encouraging staff to take periodic breaks away from their desks
• Regularly review staff workloads to ensure they are achievable

Quite simply, employees with high vitality are more willing to work harder to help their workplace succeed and are more enthusiastic about their job. Low vitality in the workplace, on the other hand, is connected to lower engagement and productivity. Employees with low vitality are more prone to experience stress at work and are less motivated to contribute to the success of their organization. When employees feel that they cannot take care of themselves, their families, or other obligations due to work-life balance, this impacts their vitality. Achieving a healthy work-life balance is increasingly important worldwide. To attract and retain the best talent, companies must ensure workers’ ambitions are supported and their home lives respected. With so many distractions in our 24/7 society, having a better work-life balance may seem like an ambitious goal for some. However, finding your personal balance between work and life is very important to achieve your personal and professional goals.

This article has been reviewed by Dr. Amrita Harji Thontiya, Senior Medical Manager at Cigna Healthcare.