Some days, work-life balance can feel unachievable. There will be days like that for any leader. While we all want to be passionate and dedicated to our jobs, it takes a lot out of us. Even in the face of this, it is possible to have a rich home life and work life. In fact, by figuring out how to balance these two, many of the most successful people have found they are happier as a whole.
To maintain this, smart leaders manage work-life balance in the long term with daily actions that support a well-rounded mindset.
These tips aren’t complex, but they are meaningful when employed with consistency.
Draw Boundaries
When leaders are at work, that’s where their mind is. Sometimes, this may require a few minutes of time out. It can be helpful to start a mindfulness practice. Meditating, even for five minutes alone in your office or bedroom, can help you transition from home to work.
Many leaders find it necessary to answer emails late in the evening once they’re at home. This can be done while still maintaining boundaries by doing it at specific times or by making a deliberate decision to step into another room while you take care of the work task. The more you can do to maintain boundaries between work and home, the more present you’ll be in each part of your life.
Use Technology To Their Advantage
Leaders with a strong sense of work-life balance have learned to use technology to take care of the little tasks that stack up and steal so much of their time. Today’s great leaders depend on technology to help them set daily habits and automate their lives.
For example, great leaders have clear communication standards set up through a variety of apps. They use tools like Slack for daily communications, have their inboxes well organized, and use project management tools like Asana to keep their team updated.
Digital tools can also be used to help manage their home life. One of the best ways to stay clear on what’s happening at home and at work is to make use of to do lists. Tools like Todoist make this simple. By doing a daily review of their lists for both home and work, leaders are better able to keep up with what’s happening in their lives as a whole.
Set Realistic Goals For the Day
One of the most helpful daily actions for leaders to achieve work-life balance is to set one or two priorities for the day. There may be many more things on their list, but they know what the most important are. While it can still be stressful not doing everything they want to do in a day, they’ve achieved their most important tasks. This can lower stress, keep goals realistic, and help them let go of work when they get home.