How should I balance my work and personal life?

70% of the people are uninterested in their jobs and feel their work-life balance is poor. The statistics are really upsetting as everyone has just one life and we need to live a satisfying life without any regrets. What is a career achievement with a broken relationship, and loneliness? Let's see what can be done to work this out!!

Define what you want out of personal-life

Have a well-defined plan for your personal life just like your career. Sometimes, even when a global crisis occurs and gives you plenty of time to be with your family, you still cling to your laptop 24/7 and mobile phones. Your personal life goals can be anything:

a. To spend time with your parents and keeping them happy

b. To build a better relationship with your loved one

c. To be healthy and spend more time on yourself

d. To spend more time playing football with your friends

e. To make treasurable memories with your kids, or

f. To even upskill yourself. You are not always aligned with your life's vision based on your current work-life.

You can even write a vision statement for your personal life just like your business. Soon enough, you'll figure out ways to find the time and put it into action!!

Define what you want out of work-life

While some people get stressed for not getting what they want, many people are not even sure what they want out of that job or their careers. Compensation is of various forms:

1. Money / Salary / Promotion

2. Experience

3. Feeling of Importance

4. Appreciation - Feeling of accomplishment

5. Transition to the desired role

6. Learnings

and every job cannot fulfill all. Some leave Fortune 500 companies to work for startups with a pay-cut. All they are looking for is learnings and experience so that they can start their own company. Some people would already be financially surplus. Yet, they would work because they desire the feeling of importance and accomplishment.

So, when you have chosen a job or your employer, you need to set practical expectations of what you actually need from them, and check if your expectation is within their discretion and limitations of fulfillment. Once you have set your expectation, you will definitely be able to see what priority of yours is aligned with your desire and what is not. Soon enough, you will figure out a way to prioritize rightly and make time for your personal life as well!!

Set a Routine

Once you have perfect visions and goals for your career and personal life, it is time for you to set a routine. In a highly agile world, there are lots of possibilities for deviations. However, you would at least be aware of where you're wasting most of the time and how you can manage your calendar. Set alarms and reminders until you actually get set into the routine.

Start to say no to things that you're not interested in and cancel meetings and appointments that are not worth your time.

"It is only by saying 'NO' that you can concentrate on the things that are really important." - Steve Jobs

Block your calendar

It is not just enough to set a routine for yourself without keeping people involved informed of your decision. If you think you are always occupied in meetings and hence, need to stay up late burning midnight oil to complete your own priorities and projects nearing deadlines, you need to block at least 3 hours per day during your working hours and get things done. Of course, the least invasive time when you don't have the most important items on your calendar. It is equally important to block your calendar for your personal life, like your "Yoga Time", or "my meditation hour", etc.

"Love your job, not your company, because you may not know when your company stops loving you." - Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam

Don't be too flexible

You know when something is really a priority and if you're here, we believe you have a strong work ethic for self. Hence, it is important to understand what is really important and what is not. Have a clear picture and push back unnecessary priorities and deadlines if you have already given your best.

This is applicable for meetings too. You can't stay up all night if you are a day shift employee to attend a single call, giving in 16 hours per day for a job that would only pay you for 8. Understand the difference between loyalty and exploitation. More awareness in your work will give you better clarity on what to do and not do.

Ensure your team is aware of your availability

If you are planning vacations or decide to leave for your hometown for a couple of days well in advance, keep your team notified. Block their calendars of your unavailability to avoid the last-minute surprises. Also, let know the means of communication in case of an emergency.

Don't be carried away by promotions or hike endangering your personal-life

This is the most crucial thing to do. Your seniors and managers may tempt you with the deal of a quicker promotion or a better hike if you work extra hours and sacrifice your weekends. However in reality, their compensation cannot be equal to all your sacrifices. Hence, keep all those temptations aside and focus on your personal life too. Remember, your company isn't going to look after you on your death bed. It is going to be done by your family. Hence, maximize your time for your loved ones!!