Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash
Many of us strive to create balance to achieve productivity and fulfillment in today’s fast-paced world. We are no strangers to experiencing burnout when intertwining our personal and professional lives to “do it all.” What we can do to avoid burnout and exhaustion is to work towards achieving work-life harmony – which is less about managing your time and more about managing your energy.
The focus of work-life harmony is to prioritize your values and well-being. It creates more peace and joy by aligning your work with your desired lifestyle. Here are three ways you can achieve work-life harmony:
1. Schedule rest, play and movement in your calendar
Making time for rest, play, and movement throughout your day is just as crucial as the time you dedicate to your work. While it can be challenging depending on your schedule and workload, blocking your essential tasks and self-care activities in your calendar helps you stay energized and happier throughout the day. Make rest, play, and movement non-negotiable by dividing your day into small blocks – even if you can only set aside 10 minutes of yoga in the morning and 10 mins of reading time in the evening. It will make a huge difference.
2. Develop a consistent morning and evening routine
Building consistent habits and incorporating them into your morning and evening routines is the best form of self-care. You can create a morning routine that helps you feel well-rested, organized and focused throughout the day, which includes simple tasks such as making your bed first thing in the morning to feel accomplished and meditating for 5 minutes before giving your attention to your phone or work emails. You can also develop an evening routine that will help you wind down earlier to have a quality sleep, such as planning and reviewing your to-do list for the following day and writing in your gratitude journal.
3. Audit your time to create intentional choices
Conducting a time audit is the best way to determine how you spend your time and energy. Take a look at your calendar throughout the month and notice any patterns.
You can keep a daily or weekly log and ask yourself these questions at the end of the month:
What areas of your life are you spending most of your time and energy on?
Are you prioritizing your goals? Are they in alignment with your lifestyle?
What areas in your life are lacking and need attention? Why?
What are you most proud of?
How do you feel about your progress?
There are many ways you can audit your time, so figure out what works best for you, evaluate how your time is spent, and adjust your schedule accordingly.
Achieving work-life harmony through time blocking, creating routines, and auditing your time will bring more calmness, fulfillment and purpose to your life. Be intentional with your time and energy!
Originally published at TalentEgg.