Whether you’re a college student, in the corporate world or raising a family, there’s one thing I think we can all agree on: It is extremely hard to find balance in our lives. Many times we feel as if we are just going through the motions. We wake up, go to school or our job, come back, sleep and wake up the next day to do it all over again. It seems boring because it is, but we need to find a way to incorporate fun, leisure activities in our lives. In this article I will share some tips on how to secure balance of work and play in a seemingly endless cycle.
- Schedule time for yourself.
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Whenever you’re planning out the future, it is important to remember to set times for when you want to do something for yourself. You can use this time for cleaning the house, watching your favorite movie or going shopping. This will help you garner some much needed self-care. This simple step of setting time for yourself goes a long way. If you’re working on a big project or a paper and it cuts into your “you time,” stop, take a break and come back to it later. The world will not end if you take a break every once in a while.
- Learn to say no.
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In an article I wrote last fall, I talked about the importance of saying no. It’s easy to be a yes-man and say yes to so many things that you find yourself burnt out. Don’t let your whole identity be based on what you do for other people. Yes, it is important to be with others. But it is equally as important to have time for yourself. We all have a social battery and some last longer than others, but we all need to recharge. When you feel yourself wearing out, take a break and relax for a while.
- Don’t feel guilty.
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Whenever I take a break, I start to feel extremely guilty. My mind races and I think, “Shouldn’t I just do it all now?” and, “Will I have enough time to complete this task after my break?” But I’ve learned that no, I don’t have to do it all now and yes I do have time still. Don’t let your guilt convince you to burn yourself out for the sake of a project. There are 24 hours in a day and when you learn how to schedule around time for yourself, life will get much easier.
Remember, this is all about balance. Sometimes work gets to be too much, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t work at all. Take time for yourself, but still try and get things done. Life can get in the way and it can be extremely difficult to manage so many things on our plate, but hopefully with these tips in mind you can find a way to balance your work life and leisure life.