The Balance of Work and Life

It’s been a couple of weeks now since the holidays. For some of us, the only difference between now and then were the festive decorations. You still had business calls and emails pouring in, there were unfinished assignments that you wanted to complete or catch up on, or you were just ambitious enough to stay ahead of your workload. Whatever the case had been, you found yourself missing out on relaxation time you deserved.

Now two weeks into the new year – the work is still there. However, the time meant to relax and be with family and friends is long gone. It’s easy to get lost in your work when there’s a constant need to get it done; however, it is possible to find a comfortable center between work and home.

Create a Task Arrangement
Priority is key – what needs to be done at this very moment, and what can be pushed aside? If you’re trying to get everything done before resting, you’ll soon realize that will always be something that needs to get completed. There are moments when you have to create your own down time; you should decide what can accomplished today, and what can wait until tomorrow.

Time Management
In the grand scheme of things, this entire situation is a lesson in time management. But we’re talking about actual numerical increments of time. Give yourself an hour or two to work an assignment. The keywords here are “work an assignment” – not “complete an assignment.” Once that hour or so is done, move on to something else. Don’t come back to that assignment until the next day and then work another hour or two on it.

It can even be reversed; you can schedule hourly blocks in which you won’t do any work at all. It may seem like you’re “penciling-in” free time, but it’s not as farfetched as you think. Don’t you already schedule for movie times, or when traveling someplace far? It’s the same concept for miniscule things like resting, watching television, or having dinner.

Importance on Health
Nothing will stop your work progress quicker than falling ill. Now you have no choice but to take time off; however, if you took the sufficient time away from work, you could’ve reduced stress and the risk of being a worse condition. Too much work leads to stress, and stress can lead to health problems. If nothing else motivates you to actually take some time off, your health should.

Just Say “No!”
Sometimes it isn’t your choice to be overloaded with work, but you have clients or a boss constantly requesting you to do something. And while a steady stream of work is a good thing, it’s never ok to be regularly pressured to work during weekends or on personal days. You have to establish clear boundaries and expectations of your free time.

If you’re choosing to be overloaded with work, then establish some boundaries for yourself. There’s only so much that can be accomplished at one time. And if all else fails, please remember your health.

“Out of Sight, Out of Mind”
It might seem like a trivial saying, especially if you mentally keep track of things. But think about it – you can’t answer a phone if you never hear it ring, or answer an email if you never see it. At times you just have to turn things off – shutdown the laptop, turn off the cellphone, unplug the business line, shut your eyes even. As mentioned earlier, the work will still be there, even after you turn everything back on.

Daily Goals
You have daily work goals to achieve every day, right? Why should daily personal goals be any different? Contrary to popular consensus, there’s nothing wrong with making an effort to enjoy life. It can be as small as a short nap, a dessert, or an extra hour of your favorite show. Make a list of personal things to accomplish everyday for yourself and stick with it like any other task sheet.

Taking some needed personal time away from the job is not only good for your sanity – and probably the sanity of others – but it’s also necessary for your health. The healthier you are, the more productive you’ll be in the long run. And with that being said, why not extend your tax deadlines to enjoy more “me time?”

You can quickly and easily e-file a business tax extension with ExpressExtension and receive an automatic extension for up to six months! And get this – even if you’re caught up with work, you can still e-file in minutes with our FREE mobile for iOS and Android devices.

Our forms are simplified for easy filing, but if you need more help, don’t hesitate to call our super helpful team of live experts, in Rock Hill, South Carolina, to assist during your e-file experience. We’re available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST at (803) 514-5155, or send us an email message 24/7 at [email protected].