Work-life balance is a buzzword that’s been around for a long time. You see it in job descriptions and in Glassdoor reviews by over zealous (or disgruntled) employees. But what does it look like in real-life? How do we prevent work from overtaking our personal time?
That’s the problem we tackled this month. We’re an ambitious group, but when the topic is important, we don’t shy away.
How did we (you) get here?
We started the conversation by asking members to elaborate on their current state of work-life balance and how they go to this point.
Kids are great for setting (or forcing) work boundaries.
And it’s important to build work time around the things you’re passionate about.
Practical Tips to Keep Work at the Office
Now, we wanted to know about the goods. We asked members to share some tips and insight they’ve gained on how to avoid working all the time.
The response was awesome.
When you’re running your own business, it can be hard to fully disconnect. But having one day away can make a huge difference in your mental and work life.
Turning off notifications on your phone can eliminate distractions and prevent you from responding unnecessarily to emails.
And try not to work on your lunch break.
How to Disconnect from the Connections
Technology keeps us so plugged into work that it can be hard to ignore emails, projects, and other reminders that come through on our many devices. But there are ways to manage the information overload.
How the Pandemic Changed Work
Everyday you probably see an article about remote work or how COVID-19 has shifted the way we work forever. And there’s some truth in that. But we wanted to understand how the pandemic has affected our member’s lives and the separation between work and personal life.
Much of the change is good. Like causing us to slow down and enjoy the moments of life we may have breezed over before.
But working at home, alone, has plenty of challenges.
Establishing Expectations When You Want to Take Time Off
As a freelancer or entrepreneur, taking time off may seem impossible. But you have to do it. Seriously, you really should take time off. Working all the time is not healthy, nor should it be worn like a badge of honor (see our series on hustle culture).
Checking in with clients can establish a rapport and help you communicate when you’re unavailable.
Taking Steps for a Better Balanced Life
We had a great conversation, but candidly, if we don’t implement some of the things we discussed, it doesn’t do much good for us in our daily lives. Here’s what our folks said they’ll do to better manage the work life balance.
We Support Your Work Life Balance
In fact, we encourage it. We have conversations like this every month. If you’re already a SOCO member, you can join us each month for #Slack_Sessions
If you’re not a member but you want to be part of a community that supports you and talks about things that matter to your work, book a tour right here.