People are busier than ever. Schedules are packed. You might be buried at work, stressed at home, and feel like you don’t have time to do anything you actually want to do. Sometimes, that busy, hectic lifestyle might seem exciting. It can even motivate you to keep pushing forward.
Unfortunately, it isn’t sustainable.
Sometimes, you need to take a step back and break things down a bit. Simplifying both your work and home life will allow you to take a much-needed breath. You might not even realize how stressed and overwhelmed you are until you hit the pause button and let it all sink in.
It’s easy to think that simplifying things is impossible and that you can’t give up your current lifestyle. But, it only takes a few small changes to have a big impact. By making these changes, you can find a healthier balance in your life and get rid of the things that are threatening to regularly overwhelm you.
Keep Things Organized
Organization can be a major component in simplifying your life, and there are plenty of ways to do it both at home and at work. Your living space is the perfect place to start. You should feel comfortable and relaxed in your own home. But, if things are cluttered, it’s not so easy to do. Keep everyone in your family regularly involved in cleaning and organizing. Set aside one day a week to ensure everything is in its place. While it might seem like a lot of work while you’re doing it, you’ll be surprised how much more at peace you are when things are simple, decluttered, and clean.
That idea should carry into your workspace, too. A cluttered workplace can limit your productivity and cause you to feel overwhelmed rather than motivated.
Too much clutter in your office can also be dangerous, increasing your risk of falling or tripping, and creating more fire hazards.
In addition to keeping physical objects organized and in their place, you can use this concept to organize other areas of your life, too, including your finances. Money can be a huge stressor when you’re not managing it correctly. Things like creating a budget, improving your credit score, and putting some of your income into savings can help you to simplify your money issues and know exactly where everything is going.
Take Care of Yourself
Taking care of your physical and mental health doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s about following a routine that works for you. That doesn’t mean you need to jump on the latest diet trend or exercise for two hours every day. Unfortunately, we’ve been bombarded with fitness myths and healthy eating ideas that just don’t work or aren’t rooted in science.
Instead of overthinking the idea of self-care, consider what it means to you. There are different dimensions of health and wellness that can benefit your whole family when you educate yourself on what they are. Those dimensions include:
- Physical health
- Emotional health
- Social health
- Intellectual health
- Environmental health
- Spiritual health
Only focusing on one of these dimensions could mean you’re lacking elsewhere. While getting enough physical exercise is important, you shouldn’t be putting all of your eggs in one basket and ignoring how good it feels to spend quality time with friends and family. Or, how much it improves your emotional health when you’re able to take a break and do something you really enjoy.
It’s easier to take care of yourself than most marketing schemes want you to believe. So, try going back to basics and focusing on the root of wellness, rather than fads or trends.
Delegate When Things Become Too Much
Do you find yourself burying your head in your hands more frequently at work? Are you overwhelmed by the middle of the day? Does a healthy work-life balance seem impossible to achieve because you’re overloaded with different tasks? If so, you’re certainly not alone. In fact, one survey taken in 2015 discovered that 77% of respondents experienced burnout from their job.
Now, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, your work life might be even more stressful. So, what can you do to combat that stress and strike a better balance?
Consider delegating some of your tasks.
It’s not always easy to give up the reins on things. But, sometimes it’s necessary to maintain your mental health. Having too much on your plate will cause you to feel stressed and anxious. By outsourcing some things, in both your career and personal life, you’ll free up some of your time and won’t feel as weighed down. Hiring a virtual assistant, for example, can help you with things like:
- Calendar management
- Communications
- Travel management
- Business operations
Imagine how much more time you would have to focus on other areas of your life if you didn’t have to deal with those few things? You can even devote more of that time to alleviating your stress in other ways. By delegating and outsourcing, you’re keeping things simple and open. Like the other suggestions listed here, that can offer you a sense of freedom, and allow you to enjoy your work and home life to the fullest.
