Once upon a time, the boundaries between work and home were clear. Today, however, the work is not confined to the usual working hours. Technology and pandemic have made it possible to work anytime from any corner of the world. Our desire to succeed often overtakes our own well-being and the priority shifts toward our careers rather than our personal life.

It is commonly believed that if one pursues architecture, they will have no life outside work. As architects and designers, we juggle multiple responsibilities from our work and education. Most of us being self-employed, can never turn down work, be it a day, night or weekend leading to burnout.

With the current scenario, a lot of professionals have become aware of trying to maintain a work-life balance. When work and life are under the same roof, it gets difficult to keep them separated and balanced. Though, as hard as it may seem, a balance is essential for your mental and physical health. Hence, to help you out of this situation, we have 5 tips that will aid in maintaining a balance between your work and life.

Draw a line on what is important

Time management is the most important aspect of a balanced life. It’s important to categorise your tasks according to their importance. At times we tend to ignore schedules and end up getting overwhelmed by the amount of work. If you are working from home, it's important to take short breaks in between work to keep your mind refreshed and active. Prioritise family time with work and consider it equally important and urgent.

2. Develop a hobby to fuel your interests

Everyone has a hobby growing up that somehow gets lost in the work life. With all the wailing and stress from work, we often forget to give time to ourselves. A work-life balance not only includes spending time with your loved ones, but also spending time doing what you love on a personal level. Finding and engaging in our hobbies will spark your creativity, and motivate you further.

3. Don't be afraid to unplug

“Live life to the fullest”, an imbalance between work and life causes a mental drain and in our uncertain time on Earth, it's important to live every day to its fullest. Adding yoga and meditation in our daily routine is necessary to boost your mood and your day. Do not hesitate to cut off from the world on weekends and allow yourself to recover from a stressful week. It will not only enhance your mental stability, but also make you relaxed and rejuvenated for the coming week.

4. Avoid work after office timings

Most often we tend to continue work after office hours to make up for deadlines. This inability to leave work causes exhaustion and hinders social life. It is important to designate fixed office hours after which you clock out, detach from your work and take time for rest and personal activities. This will help in setting work limits and engaging in a social life.

5. Understand your limits and say ‘NO’ to extra work

Creating boundaries and saying ‘NO’ can be tough when we are focused on our career. Every extra work seems like a step closer to your desired designation. But it's necessary to evaluate your priorities and ensure you undertake the amount of work you can handle. Share your concerns with your employer and start saying NO when you have more work than you know you can finish by the deadline. This will help you to embark on meaningful endeavors.

Is managing a healthy work-life tough?

If your life feels too chaotic and your work seems to be spinning out of control, it's time to take a break and review if such work is worth it. Break away from the loophole of work and relish unplugging and taking breaks. We hope these tips yield a positive outcome for all of you and help you form a healthy lifestyle.

Do let us know what else can be done in the comments section below!

“Don’t get too so busy making a living, that you forget to make a life” - Dolly Parton

How to Maintain a Work-Life Balance