Stress is an unfortunate by-product of our busy lives in the Pacific Northwest. We can get stressed looking for a new career, stressed at school, stressed about family or financial commitments, and of course stressed in the workplace.
Stress can lead to unhappiness, depression and even the onset of disease, so it’s important to recognize and minimize the effects of stress wherever possible. Here are a few tips that might help you:
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Make Deliberate Choices
Remember that the biggest influence on your work-life balance is yourself, so make deliberate choices about what you want out of life and how to spend your time. Once you’ve made decisions, you should be able to prioritize what’s most important. Choose me time, family time, friend time to refresh and rejuvenate along with work time. This’ll actually make your work time more creative and fulfilling too – bonus!
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Communicate what’s working, and what isn’t
Having a positive work-life balance is a choice that requires an intentional decision. If your work-life balance is more work than life, it’s probably a good time to make a change. Don’t be afraid to establish boundaries that require you to say ‘no’ sometimes, and consider options such as telecommuting if that will help you be productive. And don’t forget to talk with your boss regularly about what’s working and what isn’t, and make conscious decisions that will help keep you accountable and on track.
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Prioritize family time and non-work-related hobbies
If you’re trying to get a new business up and running, you may need to temporarily spend more time dedicated to work, but long hours are just not sustainable or healthy. Plan out your day, and make sure you dedicate time to relaxation and spending quality time with family or friends.
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Focus
Sometimes it’s really nice just to turn off that mobile phone and shut off your computer. Find an interest outside of work that can become passionate about, whether it’s music, sports, art, travel. It doesn’t matter what it is, just be sure to carve out time to pursue and enjoy it with focus. Personally, I try to stay off the phone the computer on Sundays and sometimes Saturdays too. After learning about Red’s Tech Sabbath every weekend I made this a bigger priority.
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Build a support network
Last but not least, people with a healthy work-life balance typically have a strong support network they can turn to for help and advice. That’s exactly the sense of community we are striving to build here at New Tech Northwest. Our members are always curious, always learning, and always busy. We have one life, so let’s make the most of it, without regrets!
