Resume Tips

Achieving a Work-Life Balance  

          In an age of technology, being disconnected is the taboo thing. We are all glued to our devices almost every minute of our waking life. It’s either Facebook, emails, work, texting, etc. Because of this achieving work-life balances may be harder than ever to do. Here are some tips to keep your personal life balanced with your work life:

1. Know Your Goals – Have a good understanding and vision of what you want to achieve and where you want to be. It’s very easy to get lost in the work stress shuffle if you are just bouncing around from one hectic task to the next. If you have your personal goals outlined, you will know to devote more effort into tasks that feed that goal (without sacrificing too much other tasks).
2. Define Your Own Success – Once you know your goals, you can define what success means to you. Success is a very subjective thing. What’s an accomplishment to one person may be easy peasy for the next person. Have a vision of what you want, and keep in mind what success looks like for that vision. For example, if I’m learning how to ride a bike, success to me would be to stay on the bike for 10 seconds total. To others, falling off may be a failure, but to me I am successful in hitting my goal.
3. Compartmentalize – Get good at leaving work at work, and knowing when life begins. Again, with technology being in our faces 24/7, it is very easy to let work blend in with our personal life. Be aware of this, and stay present with what you are doing. Compartmentalize parts of your life this way. Your personal life shouldn’t be affected by your work life (easier said than done), but once this practice become habitual, you will feel the freedom that comes with it.
4. Ask for Help – Empires weren’t built in a day, nor were they built by just one person. Know when to ask for help, and know that it is okay to do so. It is not a sign of weakness. Rather, it’s a sign of humility and planning. You know yourself well enough to know that you need help in this task or that task. You also are planning well enough to know what to delegate. Ask for help because you know you can’t meet deadlines with the too many tasks on your plate, and not because you’re too lazy to do anything. You may break trust that way.
5. Exercise the Body – A good way to compartmentalize is by exercising. Be good at work, but you must be good at something else as well. They are not related but you may feel the same satisfaction in both. For example, getting good remarks at work feels just as good as getting a good time during your long distance run. Keep yourself oriented towards a goal in all aspects of life. This way, you are continuously moving forward

The more you practice these points, the stronger the habitual muscle will become. Be patient with yourself, maybe tackle one thing at a time as well. Good luck to you!