Work-Life Balance: Let's Try to Achieve it!

Balance is not a rigid concept. It’s about finding satisfaction, happiness, and calmness in our lives. It's not something we achieve once and then forget about it. It's a dynamic state that evolves with us. There's no one-size-fits-all approach to balance, and that's okay. What matters is finding what works for you.

Many of us have experienced the difficulties of balancing work and life, a challenge that can disrupt family life. This struggle is particularly poignant for full-time working women in companies, who often face a “second full-time job” when they return home.

Here are a few practical steps we can all take to loosen the grip that stress has on us and win back the balance in our lives:

1. Get quality sleep. When you are rested, it will be easier for you to cope with business and personal obligations.

2. Learn to say:” NO”. If you’re overscheduled with activities (personal or business), learn to say” NO.”

3. Find a regular physical activity and enjoy it. Aside from its well-known physical benefits, regular exercise reduces stress, depression, and anxiety and enables people to better cope with business and private obligations. The activity must be one that you love. For example, I love swimming.

4. A healthy diet is a powerful tool! Eating a balanced and healthy diet is key to helping our bodies manage the physiological changes caused by stress. If I overeat during the day, I feel sluggish and unable to cope with my responsibilities. If I go to the other extreme and skip a meal, I don't have enough energy for my family or work. To balance work and private life, we must also create a balance in our diet.

5. Use a Prioritized To-Do List to manage tasks effectively.

6. Take well-timed breaks during your working day.

Scientists claim that our brains employ two modes of thinking: focused and diffuse. The focused mode is related to the learning process. (The learning process occurs during the focused mode of thinking.) When operating in diffused mode, our brain is more relaxed, and our minds are free to wander.

When you are too focused on a work problem and tired, you better take a break. Especially if you have a problem to solve, try letting your brain wander and finding a solution. For example, the best ideas come to me when I am relaxed and drinking my morning coffee.

7. Conversation and asking for help. Both are very important. Through conversations with colleagues at work, you can get some ideas, share experiences, get some help, and relax. The same is true in your private life. Communication is the key. You cannot do it all by yourself. Ask for help from family members in your daily family obligations.