Work-Life Balance Strategies to Support Your Wellbeing

Is work getting in the way of what’s really important?

Research shows Australia’s work-life balance is pretty bleak compared to some, with 13% of us working excessive hours.

A healthy work-life balance involves a harmonious relationship between your work and personal life. It allows you to manage your time and energy to meet both your professional and personal commitments while supporting your overall wellbeing.

An unhealthy work-life balance can lead to:

• Lack of self-care
• Stress and burnout
• Strained and neglected relationships.

We hope these work-life balance strategies help if you’re struggling to make room for what matters most.

 

Reflect on your values

Consider what’s most important to you in life. What are your priorities and values? These might include your relationship, family, health, self-development, or travel.

Now ask yourself: Does my current lifestyle reflect this?

“Show me your calendar and I’ll show you your priorities” is a saying (and a reality check) some of us need to hear.

Once we’ve determined the specific areas we want to focus more time and energy into, we can consider how we can juggle our commitments to support them.

 

Maximise your free time

We don’t have to be productive every minute of every day – rest and relaxation are an important part of a healthy work-life balance. But you may be able to find clever ways to make the most of your time.

For example, if you’re not spending as much time on your physical health as you’d like to, you could consider walking or riding a bike for all or some of your work commute.

You may also be able to identify timewasters in your life, such as mindlessly watching TV or excessively scrolling on social media before bed. You might try limiting these activities to make time for quality conversations with your partner, or to allow yourself to wake up earlier and enjoy a healthy breakfast.

Be honest with yourself around how you’re spending your downtime, and change habits that don’t align with your values and priorities.

 

Use time-management tools

Time-management tools can help you prioritise your tasks, use your time effectively, and avoid procrastination.

Some handy ones to implement yourself might include:

• Timers/alarms
• To-do lists or apps
• Calendar or planner.

For example, you might find it helpful to set yourself a one-hour timer to focus on a task before you can check your phone or grab a snack.

If your workplace doesn’t have official project-management systems in place (such as Asana or Monday), it might be worth suggesting. This can be a great way to keep track of your workflow and encourage accountability.

 

Set stronger boundaries if needed

In some situations, our work schedules simply don’t support the freedom and flexibility we’d like.

But we can all take ownership of the things we can control to better protect our personal time, such as:

• Add your work hours to your email signature
• Set realistic expectations around deadlines and availability
• Turn off your work phone or email notifications outside of work hours
• Pre-plan personal activities/appointments in your work calendar so colleagues know not to book meetings or calls during this time.

 

Dedicate time for relaxation

People who are busy with work during the week may feel obligated to fill their weekends with social plans to make up for it. This can quickly lead to burnout and make time with friends and family feel like a chore.

Block out some time in your weekend – whether it’s a couple of hours or your entire Sunday – to relax and recharge.

Schedule time to do the things that fill your cup and make you feel fresh for the week ahead. This could be anything from reading with your favourite snack to finding a new hiking spot with great views.

 

If you need some support defining your values and dealing with work stress, speaking to a professional counsellor can help.

You can call 1300 364 277 to make an appointment or to learn more about our counselling services here.

We offer more great tips in our blog post How to Manage Work Stress.