Between your family, work, your exercise routine and your social life, finding time to relax may seem like a laughable notion. But while a busy schedule can make taking time out to relax difficult, it should still be a priority—right up there with making it to your son’s Little League games or your Monday morning meeting. Here are a few tips for achieving a work-life balance.

1) Manage your time well
On a Monday morning, jot down a list of tasks which need to be completed by the end of the week. Split this list into achievable ‘quick wins’ by writing down the amount of time needed to complete each task. Schedule each piece of work into your weekly calendar, checking everything you need to do can actually fit into your working hours. By allocating time for each task, you’re less likely to under-estimate how long each activity is going to take.

2) Leave your work at work!
Schedule 10 minutes at the end of each working day to make a list of outstanding projects, deadlines and anything else work-related which is bothering you. Make time in your diary to develop solutions to problems and ask managers and colleagues for help if you’re struggling with a heavy workload.

3) Schedule ‘personal time’ in your calendar
Schedule ‘personal time’ as well as ‘work time’ in your diary. Place as much importance on ‘personal time’ spent with friends and family, as you do on ‘work time.’ Manage time planning for personal activities as efficiently as your working day, to ensure that it’s achievable. Plan to leave work on time at least one evening a week, block this out in your diary and make sure nothing interrupts this arrangement.

4) Separate domestic chores and resting time
Don’t count domestic chores within your leisure time, schedule these separately, otherwise you could risk spending your free time doing laundry and running errands! Try to alternate chores with fun activities, or schedule half an evening for housework and half for relaxing.

5) Take a lunch break every day
No matter how busy your work schedule, take time out for a proper lunch break each day. Go outside, enjoy some fresh air and give yourself a break to re-charge for the afternoon ahead. Block out time for lunch breaks in your diary, even if it’s just a 10 minute walk and a quick bite to eat, this change of scenery may be just what you need for a productive afternoon.

Source: Filofax