CARING FOR PEOPLE

Work-Life Balance

10 top tips for maintaining well being

Work-life balance is essential for personal and business success. With work-life balance you are more productive over longer periods of time. Because you have a more balanced perspective you spot opportunities that you may otherwise missed.
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Tip number 10: Set goals, plan and prioritise

Having clear goals makes life so much easier because you know where you are going, how to get there and you have more control. Without clear goals you can experience feelings of confusion and frustration and this can drain your energy and decrease your productivity.

A good technique is to decide what is important to you and then write it down. By actually writing it down your thinking is clearer and you are more likely to achieve the goal.
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Tip number 9: Have structure in place

Work-life balance is all about flexibility, but to have flexibility you need a solid structure around you – both at work and at home. Structure is important because it brings certainty to the world – you know what’s going to happen and why it’s going to happen. Without structure life is a bit more chaotic. You then find that you use both physical and emotional energy to bring meaning and clarity to different situations.
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Tip number 8: Practice good time management

Central to good time management is to do the right thing, in the right way, at the right time and for the right length of time. To be able to do this, its necessary to establish your priorities and then focus only on those tasks that advance important goals. Those goals that will bring in high pay-off results. Activities that absorb too much time should then be simplified, delegated or eliminated.
Good time management means focusing on results. It’s important to aim for excellence, but not necessarily for perfection. When you aim for excellence you will achieve an excellent result, but when you aim for perfection you may never quite get there.

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Tip number 7: Undertake training in the techniques required

Everyone needs training to learn the operational techniques required for effective work-life balance. There are a number of books and courses on time management; goal setting; maximizing productivity; increasing effectiveness; negotiation, relaxation and stress management, and a range of providers for this training. A number of companies provide elements of this training however individuals have the responsibility to seek out this training if they are to achieve optimal Work-life balance. The techniques are not rocket science but you need to be exposed to the methodology to gain maximum benefit.
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Tip number 6: Take holidays and long weekends

Everyone needs a total break from the operational side of your role so that you can freshen your perspective on what needs to be done. It’s easy to tell yourself that you are indispensable and always need to be around. But if you’ve got good structure in place, with good support systems, you can take time off. Taking a holiday allows you to return to work refreshed and thinking optimally instead of being too tired and burnt out.
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Tip number 5: Reward yourself

Rewards are important because they are the something extra you have been working towards. So, after you have set your goals, and you’ve achieved them – take the reward. A big part of work-life balance is feeling great about yourself, and what better way than to have lots of rewards. So, reward yourself, both at work and at home. By doing this, everything will become more enjoyable. Take the small rewards and take the big rewards – you deserve it.
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Tip number 4: Stay healthy

It’s important to eat well, sleep well and exercise.
Occupational Health and Safety is an important component of staying healthy – and it’s as valid at home as it is at work. It’s important to have a good desk, a good chair, good lighting and not to fall over cables and at home it’s just as valid. Also, a good bed is a must – because you spend so much time there.
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Tip number 3: Be positive, passionate and enthusiastic

Mix with positive people and don’t accept negativity – either privately or professionally. See the opportunity, not the obstacle, and if you can’t see the positive side of any situation look harder, look longer and look at it differently. There’s always a positive spin.
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Tip number 2: Love your Job

Career development is a journey and with every journey it’s more enjoyable if you enjoy every stage. Enjoy the tasks, the people, the environment and the opportunities. You can maximize your enjoyment by undertaking a number of professional development courses. Your enhanced knowledge and understanding will increase your control and with this control you will achieve a better balance. So, to enhance your work-life balance it is so very important to enjoy what you do, or change what you do.
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Tip number 1: Love your life

Again, enjoy the journey, everyday and in every possible way. You should only be doing those things that you want to do. Take control over your life, be true to yourself and never accept less than you want. Enrich yourself – socially, culturally and intellectually. Constantly focus on your personal development, achieve your goals and enjoy the journey.