The Importance Of Work-Life Balance And How Women Can Achieve It

If you’re one of the millions of women who bring their work home with them day after day, spend long hours at the office, and forget to practice self-care because you’re so busy, you’ve probably got a tension headache as you’re reading this. Add children and household chores to the mix, and it might seem like the work never stops. Sit back from the computer for a minute, take a deep breath, rub your temples, close your eyes, and ignore the ginormous pile of laundry in the background. Imagine a world where stress is only an occasional thing.

Better? Good, because that can be your reality with some small changes. Daily life doesn’t have to be so hectic! The world will keep moving whether you’re hunched over your desk or not, so why not carve out some time for yourself now and then and create a new normal? There’s nothing radical involved, just a few positive changes that can help you slow down and feel better.

Read on to find out how you can do it.

Create a safe place

If you bring your work home with you, or if you find yourself glued to your phone (most of us are guilty of that one), make it a point to create a safe place within your home that doesn’t allow phones or laptops. Trying to stay up to date on everything that is going on around you, including the lives of others, sends your brain into overdrive. In addition, spending time glued to your phone or other electronics means you have less time to stay in the present and focus on what’s important, whether that is you, your family, or the new novel you’ve been dying to read.

Your bedroom is an excellent space to designate as an unplugged zone, because screens shouldn’t come near it. In fact, looking at a computer or phone screen before bed can cause interruptions in your sleep cycle, so put them away and read a book, take a hot bath, write in a journal, or just throw some headphones on and listen to your favorite music like you did in high school. Don’t feel like you have to fill every minute of the day. Here are more tips for making your home a stress-free environment.

Get organized

Having a cluttered home or workspace can make things feel chaotic and can cause you stress, which, among other things, can lower your immune system and leave you feeling bad. Get organized, clean up any clutter, and enlist the help of your family members to keep it that way. Don’t feel like you have to tackle everything on your own. Women are powerful and multitasking queens, but asking for help should be one of your skills too.

Work on time management

One of the biggest complaints of many female entrepreneurs is that they feel they aren’t managing their time well enough. It’s difficult to maintain a busy schedule and juggle everything life throws your way, but if you have a good plan and stay organized, it’ll get a little easier. Invest in a good planner where you can write down every event, responsibility, lunch date, and appointment, and be detailed. You can use your planner to organize your personal life too, such as the kid’s school activities and appointments. Don’t forget to schedule in some personal time for yourself too.

Exercise daily

It’s not always easy, true; but if you commit to making time to workout every day and get your heart rate up for fifteen to thirty minutes each time, you’ll be doing yourself a world of good. Less stress, better immune health, and more energy are just a few of the benefits women experience from exercise, giving you the tools you need to tackle anything life or work throws at you. Run up and down the staircase at home or at the office, take the dog on a long walk after dinner, or just go for a walk by yourself during your lunch break. If you sit at a desk all day, it’s especially important to get up and get moving.

Practice self-care

Doing something you enjoy is essential to keeping stress at bay. Find healthy ways to make yourself happy and turn off your phone so you can do it. Worrying about staying updated on work or answering emails will definitely cut into your time, so put them aside for an hour or more and focus on something that’s just for you.

While female entrepreneurs and business owners most definitely have their own unique set of obstacles, the beauty is that an obstacle can be overcome. Finding the right work/life balance is just a small obstacle, and there are ways to achieve it if you implement the right tools and strategies.

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Top Photo via Pixabay by freephotocc