5 way to kill stress with work-life balance strategies
Estimated Read Time: 4 minutes
Do you find yourself working longer than your contracted hours, leaving you struggling to find time to spend with family and friends?
Well, you’re not alone if you're struggling for work-life balance in Singapore.
A global report ranked Singapore as the second most overworked city in the world, with 23 per cent of professionals working more than 48 hours per week, taking only 14 days of annual leave on average.
If you feel you are in need of improved work-life balance, here are five strategies that you can start implementing today to get started:
1. Understand your perfect balance
What your ideal work-life balance looks like may be completely different to someone else’s.
It is important to take some time to really think about your work-life balance. How much time do you need for work? And how much time do you want for your personal/leisure time?
Related: Time management skills will change your working life
2. Take ownership of your work-life balance
Sometimes you just can’t do everything or be in two places at once.
By understanding what your key priorities are though, you can ensure you make time for the most urgent priorities. At work, create a list of tasks and delegate some of the less important responsibilities. At home, you might need to stop some activities, to focus on other, more necessary ones.
Of course, this does mean saying “no” from time to time. Whilst it may seem hard initially, if always saying “yes” leaves you feeling unhappy and stressed, it’s a necessary step you should take.
3. Consider your work arrangements
Perhaps one of the most obvious steps to take to create a better work-life balance is to reduce your work hours, such as by becoming part-time.
Of course, this isn’t always feasible, especially if you have a family to financially support. So, sit down with your boss and find out whether there any other options available to you, such as flexible working and working from home.
These are all methods that have been shown to considerably increase job satisfaction, productivity and lead to higher motivation. Working from home also has the added benefit of saving time from your usual commute.
Related: The project management skills you need
Concerned that you would not be perceived as hard-working if you’re not in the office? A study found that introducing working from home as an option for employees resulted in a 13.5% increase in calls compared to those who remained in the office, demonstrating that alternate ways of working can have a positive impact on employee productivity.
4. Benefit from using technology
To help create a better work-life balance, get the most out of technology. Mobile devices can allow you to easily communicate and collaborate with colleagues, even if you’re working from home, from your favourite coffee shop or whilst on the go.
Some tools you could try include DropBox, Google Drive, Skype and Slack. Technology can also help you work more effectively, enabling you to work through your to-do list quicker. This can leave you with more valuable time to spend with your loved ones. Some tools include Trello, IFTTT, Buffer and Evernote.
Of course, whilst technology can be a huge help, the “always-on” mentality can make it even harder to create a good work-life balance. Do you find yourself checking emails after work, answering calls on your day off, or doing work when you’re on holiday?
To avoid this, it is imperative to set clear boundaries, to know when to focus on work and when to switch off. Important lessons can certainly be learnt from France, who, in order to protect employees’ personal time, have recently passed a new law, requiring employers to set times when staff should not check or reply to emails.
Related: Benefits of being adaptable
5. Make time for family time
Do you find that your personal time becomes an afterthought? If you fit in leisure activities around your work, stop.
In the same way as you’d schedule a work meeting, schedule in time to spend with your friends, family and even yourself. This way, it’s in the diary and needs your attention.
Of course, this not only requires you to be physically present, but mentally too. Therefore, switch your laptop off and mute your phone, so you’re not tempted to dip into work when you should be relaxing.
What to do if finding a balance is still a struggle
If you’ve tried these above suggestions and are still struggling to juggle your work and personal time, or the company you work for doesn’t value this balance, it may be time to consider looking for a new job with an organisation that will support your work-life balance goals.
There are many businesses who support and actively encourage employees to create a better work-life balance. If you need some help, get in touch with Robert Half Singapore.
