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The pandemic allowed many people to spend more time at home. Unfortunately, most weren’t relaxing by the fireplace or engaging in recreational activities. Rather, they were working harder than ever—and causing an even greater imbalance between the personal and the professional.
Americans have never been great about saying no to work. During Covid, nearly half of telecommuters said they put in more hours than ever, especially on weekends. Is it any wonder that 52% of working adults say they’re struggling with burnout?
The question, of course, is what to do about this problem. Many experts point to workplace-related solutions like restructuring the workweek or offering flexibility. However, changing what happens on the job isn’t the only way to gain balance if you’re mired in stress. Another option is to give your personal life a do-over.
Why focus on the personal? What you do for yourself will naturally spill over into your occupational experiences. For instance, imagine the upshot of being able to bring a sense of inner calm and confidence to your career decisions. No longer would you feel as swayed by coworker or client negativity because you’d be grounded in positivity.
So how do you start to achieve personal balance to feel more in control of all areas in your life? Rearrange your at-home habits based on the following tips.
1. Transform your luck.
The notion of improving your luckiness may seem strange. Isn’t good fortune a random occurrence, as in the whim of fate? Author and entrepreneur Mark Lachance explains it’s not in The Lucky Formula. Written as a playbook to help readers see luck in a new light, the book sets out a path for people to improve their luck.
Lachance’s prosperity formula isn’t just theory. It came out of his battle with near-bankruptcy and depression. He suggests that by mastering your internal and external practices you can take action that will improve your success. In other words, you’ll stack the odds in your favor. And even when curveballs come your way, you’ll be in a better position to hit them out of the ballpark.
Remember the adage that when all you have is a hammer, all you see is nails? The same holds true with luck. When you go looking for luck, you tend to find it. This leaves you feeling more in charge of your destiny and less burdened by roadblocks.
2. Revisit how you describe yourself.
From the time we’re young, we’re asked what we want to be when we’re older. Though well-meaning, the question assumes that what we do is what we are. As an article from The New York Times explains, that’s a mindset that leaves us heralding the professional and minimizing the personal. Consequently, we see ourselves as defined by our jobs, which doesn’t leave us happier or more satisfied when work goes awry.
If you’ve been taught to describe yourself in terms of your occupational choices, now is the time to stop. The author of the Times piece recommends mentally reframing your job as a verb. Rather than “I’m a writer,” you would say, “I write articles.” As a result, you’re free to put any title on yourself you want, instead of being consumed by your living.
It’s a small change but can have big effects. When you’re not overly connected with your career, you allow yourself to celebrate who you are as a person. Maybe you’re a recreational volleyball player. Perhaps you’re an avid sculptor. By putting your job persona as secondary to who you are at heart, you give yourself the freedom to be more multifaceted and free.
3. Focus on living your best life.
We all have the person we’d love to be at home. Don’t hesitate to pull together a bucket list of goals for your private side. Such goals could include anything from traveling to specific countries to redecorating your living space. Though some of your objectives may overlap with your work, most will fall squarely in the personal realm.
Will this exercise seem strange at first? Yes, notably if you’re overworked. After spending Covid locked away with your nose to the grindstone, you might even feel a bit selfish. Keep pushing, though, because the results are worth a little initial awkwardness
In time, the more focus you put on achieving your private goals, the richer your private life will become. You may even notice that you’re able to place more solid boundaries between your home and work hours. Additionally, you’ll want to keep those boundaries in place rather than allow work to creep into your “me time.”
No matter what stage of life you’re in, you deserve to feel fulfilled on and off the clock. Start working on enriching your personal life and changing some of your habits at home. You’ll be surprised at how much of an impact your changes will make on the work-life balance you feel.
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