Its natural to get stuck in the busy and demanding work life and find yourself left with no time for family or pursue your hobbies. No matter what job you are in, pressure is huge, there are endless deadlines, competition is hard and to catch up with all the expectations, we work harder everyday, neglecting our "life after work" and our health.
We forget that the sole motive of working is to live a healthy, happy and meaningful life, to live freely without any restrictions.
Being a working married woman, I have a lot of responsibilities towards my job and family.
In my initial year of marriage, I found it really hard to cope up with both the responsibilities, resulting in lot of stress and tiredness. I could either focus on my job or my family. So, I had to find out a solution to be able to perform all my duties well and find time for each task of the day that is either my responsibility, or hobby.
Hence, To be able to enjoy the beautiful life, it is essential to maintain a balance between work and after work life.
Step 1. Be in Discipline : Never underestimate the power of discipline. It may sound monotonous to follow the same daily routine with sincerity but with discipline, you are well prepared for the tasks of the day. Note down the list of tasks that you need to perform each day, and assign a time slot to each task. This is called pre-preparation, once this is done, stick by the schedule. That comes with discipline in life. I have always been a disciplined person in life, but I realised the true importance of it post marriage when I found myself surrounded by responsibilities. Being disciplined in my daily chores has brought stability in my life.
Step 2. Set your Priorities: It is so important to know your priorities and set them right. For some, their job is top priority, while for others, it is important to live "after work life" equally. When you think of the ideal life you want to live what comes to your mind? This is highly determined by the priorities you set in life. And to be able to set priorities, it is important to ask 'Why' behind everything you do. Once, you figure out the important things in life, it is easier to take action and take charge of your life.
Step 3. Maintain Consistency : There is no alternate to perseverance and consistency. If you are determined to set your life balanced, work for it and be consistent in what you do.
Once your tasks has been finalised for the day in step 1 and you know your priorities from step 2, the next step is to work on the prioritised tasks with consistency.
I knew that in order to complete all the household chores before I go to my office, it is important to wake up early each day, so that I have sufficient time for everything. Though, I have always been a morning person, but waking up early everyday with discipline was something I had to work upon (detailed post would be up soon). Hence, I began working on my habit of waking up early everyday and now, it's no more an effort to wake up early.
It has been rightly said- 'Consistency is the key to success'. It leads to habit formation and habits run our life.
Step 4: Time management : Do you ever feel that you have more work than time or Do you feel 24 hours a day are not enough for you? If yes, you definitely need to have a look at your schedule of the day. Once, you are in discipline and consistent, all you need is allocate time slots for everything you do and adhere to it. No matter how much overloaded I am in office, I do not spend more than 9 hours a day unless, my job really needs me to be present in office. In rest of the time, I love to spend time with my family, prepare meals, watch movies or pursue my hobbies. Remember, personal life is equally important as professional life, hence, maintain a balance between the two to enjoy both.
Step 5: Know your potential : Nothing seems difficult if we know our caliber. Never doubt yourself, everything can be achieved in life with self-confidence. Believe that "you can do it" and the natural forces work together to bring it to existence. If you are desperate to set your life right, work on the best possible ways to achieve it and result is bound to come.
I m not the best person to guide you on work life balance, but its always good to share the little knowledge and experience that you have with others.
I would love to hear from you all. Do share your experience on how you find balance in your life.
Keep smiling till my next post :)