No BS Tips on Work-Life Balance
After reading hundreds of articles during the pandemic, here are the best tips that have worked for me.
Hello doston,
I hope you are doing well and taking care of yourself.
(By the end of this newsletter, if you like what you read, hit reply to this email with your thoughts, don’t shy away from doing that)
A question that I often get is how do I maintain a “healthy” work-life balance. And the answer is quite complex, so I thought let me write about it, unraveling some things that have helped me and others that didn’t. I also talked to a lot of you on my Instagram and Twitter, got some brilliant insights, I have tried to include some of them here.
I always say that Entrepreneurship is actually a mindset.
That being a founder is less about your skillset and more about your mental caliber. I also believe that once you are a founder you never actually stop working. Your mind is always at work; in flux, thinking of ideas and strategies. I might get up from my work table at 7 in the evening, but my mind still keeps wandering about the article I just read or the proposal meeting I have tomorrow. Some might find this exhausting, or “unhealthy”, which it is in some ways. It is not ideal to be always enamored by your work. Your mind needs rest. So how do you tread this constant flux in your mind and create a balance?
I believe it depends on how you approach it. Coercion is never the solution. You can’t force your mind to stop ruminating on your thoughts. And because you are not a machine you cannot clearly categorize and segregate your work thoughts from your personal life thoughts. So what can you do?
Actively Unwind:
After you are done with your work, listen to music, cook, call up friends. Do anything that helps you engage with things other than work. And suppose you suddenly get an amazing idea while you are casually talking to your friend. Write it down. And get back to it tomorrow. Don’t start working on it then and there. You have to actively make efforts to not be consumed by work.
De-clutter and de-normalize:
Most of us have messy work routines, especially now that WFH is the norm. While working from home we often become clumsier with our routine and let go of boundaries. We check and reply to emails at 10 in the night and we also take afternoon naps when we should actually be working. Because we have the liberty to work on our own terms we often mix work and leisure or work and chores. And this just complicates our life. Sit down and draw a work schedule for yourself and stick to it. This way you will get done by work when you are supposed without being unnecessarily pulled in different directions.
Make your priorities straight:
If work is your priority in life then that’s absolutely fine and if it is not then that’s absolutely fine too. We are always conflicted about our commitments, and that’s because we don’t know what we actually want. If you choose to go on a brunch with your friends you feel guilty that you are missing out on work and if you don’t go then you get FOMO after seeing their pictures. So just ask yourself what is of priority at this point. That is one of the best benefits of being a creator or a freelancer, you can choose your priorities.
Take Breaks:
The simplest thing to say but not as easy to implement, isn’t it? Take days off, take hours off. Have particular time slots just for yourself. Don’t let your time and energy be always pried upon by others. Save something for yourself too.
And now, here are some of the best advice from the folks who shared it via my Instagram stories
“Use Forrest app. It does not let you take calls after logout” I need to try this app.
“Make Sundays only for family. Plan the tasks every day and set a fixed time after which you won’t work.”
“Never use office laptop on weekends and switch off all notifications for weekends”
“Schedule mails. Restrict yourself to not work after deadlines”
“Schedule your week in advance on the calendar and keep optimum buffer period between tasks.”
“Develop a reputation for having a life. Else they think that they can load you with work and you will do it anyway.” (I found this quite interesting)
“Never carry your laptop on vacations.” Genius move. (I need to learn this badly)
“Take up a post-work class. Keeps you motivated to finish early and leave on time.”
“Delete your work email from your phone.” Did not see this coming!
“Divide your day into 3 parts. 8 hours for work. 8 for sleep and sustenance. And 8 for personal commitments.”
What I was Reading this week?
Canva wants its employees to come to the office only 8 times in the year.
Nike closes offices for a week to give its employees a mental health break.
Twitter launches a new “safety mode” to reduce mental stress.
Up to half of the world’s wild tree species could be at risk of extinction.
Thank you so much for reading till the end. Do let me know if you have any suggestions for things I should talk about ahead.
You can reach out to me directly on my Instagram @pawan_rochwani.
Also, if you liked this newsletter please consider sharing it in your close circles! See you in the next one.
It was worth reading. We should always need to learn that "Uncertainties and imbalance is a way of life". By the by, Happy teachers day captain.