Work-Life Balance and Personal Time Management

Quick reference

• 00:04 Welcome back.
• 00:05 In this lesson we'll explore achieving a healthy work-life balance in various
• 00:10 work setups, and managing personal life effectively.
• 00:14 Let's dive in.
• 00:15 Overcommitment can lead to burnout,
• 00:18 which negatively impacts your productivity and well-being.
• 00:22 To avoid this, know your limits.
• 00:24 Assess the amount of work you can realistically handle within a given
• 00:28 time frame.
• 00:29 Prioritize tasks, use the Eisenhower Matrix or other tools we've
• 00:33 discussed earlier in the course, to determine which tasks are crucial.
• 00:38 And learn when to say no.
• 00:39 Something else we've covered.
• 00:41 Saying no assertively and diplomatically helps to prevent overcommitment.
• 00:47 If you're feeling overwhelmed or burned out, ask for help too.
• 00:51 Communication is essential here, and this applies to you.
• 00:54 You might have to remind your boss or team how much you're doing for them to realize
• 00:59 you need to hire more help, or reassign work to balance your workload.
• 01:04 But when it comes to work-life balance,
• 01:07 don't let work overpower your need to rest and recharge.
• 01:11 If you want to manage personal time effectively, consider these tips.
• 01:15 Schedule personal time.
• 01:17 Block out regular periods for leisure and
• 01:20 relaxation just as you would schedule work tasks.
• 01:24 Separate work and leisure spaces.
• 01:28 Create designated work and personal spaces,
• 01:30 especially in a remote work setting, to avoid blurring the lines between them.
• 01:36 For example, if you work at home, try not to work in bed or at a kitchen table.
• 01:42 When you're done working for the day, you want to leave those spaces so
• 01:47 that you can mentally get away from work too.
• 01:50 Engage in purposeful relaxation.
• 01:53 Choose activities that genuinely help you recharge, like exercise,
• 01:58 meditation, or some hobbies that get you out of the house.
• 02:02 And lastly, protect your personal time.
• 02:06 What I mean here is you should unplug from work by turning off notifications,
• 02:11 or setting boundaries for checking work emails and messages.
• 02:15 I understand some jobs will require you to keep an eye on work things over
• 02:19 the weekend.
• 02:20 But for most of you, when it's the end of the day, Friday or
• 02:24 the start of a vacation especially, you need to feel comfortable unplugging,
• 02:29 knowing that you won't look at work stuff again until you're back on the job.
• 02:36 Establishing clear boundaries between work and
• 02:39 personal time is key to maintaining work life balance.
• 02:42 So, here are some things you can do at work to lay the foundation for
• 02:46 that balance.
• 02:48 Communicate your boundaries.
• 02:49 Let colleagues and family members know what your designated work and
• 02:54 personal hours are.
• 02:55 Most people are more than happy to leave you alone if they know when the best time
• 03:00 is to contact you.
• 03:02 And use scheduling tools like calendars, whether they're physical or virtual,
• 03:06 to visually separate work and personal commitments.
• 03:10 And develop routines.
• 03:11 Create routines to signify the beginning and the end of the workday,
• 03:16 such as a morning walk, or cleaning up your desk before you head home.
• 03:21 These can help get you into the right mindset.
• 03:25 So, periodically evaluate and
• 03:28 adjust your habits to maintain an optimal work-life balance.
• 03:33 Pay close attention to your priorities and any signs of imbalance, and
• 03:37 adapt your routines accordingly.
• 03:40 In our next lesson we'll discuss increasing efficiency in email, and
• 03:44 communication management in the workplace.
• 03:47 See you then.

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