4 hacks to a better work-life balance

If you’re completely attached to your smartphone or device at all times, you’re not alone - but this “always on” mentality means things like work emails and internal messaging never switches off. This constant connection to your boss, colleagues, and clients is blurring work-life boundaries.

Because of this, the concept of work-life balance is something that is understood by many, but still not mastered by all. Some have even gone as far as to question the need for work-life balance, believing professionals should hustle through their career to earn success.

Regardless of your stand on the matter, it’s important to leave a portion of the day to yourself to focus on other equally important areas of your life - your loved ones, hobbies, and interests.

Monster has launched the Work Life Balance campaign to raise awareness on this issue and to encourage job seekers to go for the jobs that help them manage their work and personal lives in a more efficient manner.

For more videos of the Work-Life Balance, series click here.

Next time you’re tempted to pull an all-nighter, consider these tips to cut back:

1. Get a mindset makeover
Employees often feel pressured to stay back or to avoid being the first person to leave the office, hoping to appear less lazy and not jeopardise any promotion opportunities. The idea of you being less hardworking than your peers just because you leave earlier is all in your head. This was revealed in our latest poll where 64% of your peers think staying late is, in fact, a sign of you being overworked.

While it’s important to leave the office physically - checking out mentally is key to embracing a mindset change. Give importance to whatever you’re doing after hours, even if it’s just sitting on a couch and playing video games.

2. Know when you should turn it off
Your job may be a big part of your life but it certainly isn’t everything. No matter how much you love (or hate) your job, obsessively pondering about work matters after work hours is a troubling cycle that can add unnecessary stress and affect your wellbeing.

Turning your mobile email push notifications can be the first step to claiming back your evenings. You’ll be surprised how stress-free your evenings can become when you stop seeing emails from your bosses or clients until the next morning. Besides, if it is THAT urgent, someone will reach you.

3. It’s perfectly okay to say “no”
In today’s competitive work environment, employees often end up becoming yes-men because they want to prove their worth. But before you take on the task, you need to take a step back and consider if this the workload is something you can fit onto your plate.

Ask yourself these questions, and use your answers to come to a decision:

œ What is your work priority?
œ Realistically, how much time would you need to deliver quality work?
œ Is this task within your scope of work?

You really don’t want to bite off more than you can chew, which can be counterproductive, while reflecting poorly of you as a team member.

4. Leave work on time
There are plenty of reasons why professionals find it so difficult to leave their desk on time, despite being well aware of the consequences of burnout at work.

A proven way to get your foot out that door is to sign yourself up for after work classes. This leaves you with something to look forward to or to “move onto” at the end of the day and forces you to make a pact with yourself to leave.