You know what sounds lovely? A balanced life with ample time for work, family, hobbies, relationships and anything under the sun that brings us joy. While finding that perfect balance all the time may not be realistic, it is certainly possible to create routines that bring simplicity to your life now and in the future.
And because work is such a big part of our day-to-day lives, it’s important to establish a healthy work-life balance. But what does that actually look like? Let’s find out how to create simplicity at work and in life together!
What Does Work-Life Balance Really Mean?
While many employers champion their organizational culture by supporting a “work-life balance,” it can be difficult to understand what that truly means.
HRZone defines a work-life balance as “the level of prioritization between personal and professional activities in an individual’s life and the level to which activities related to their job are present in the home.” At Clarity, we like to think of a positive work-life balance as the harmonious intersection of our “have to’s” and “want to’s”.
A work-life balance is important because humans thrive on cycles of interactivity and peace. When one area of our lives overtakes our peace, it can send a disturbance to the other areas of our lives. That’s why it’s so critical to find the right balance of that interaction.
No matter where you are in your professional and personal journeys, keep these 3 easy simplicity tips in mind to help you bring simplicity to your work-life balance!
Tip 1: Learn From the Past
When determining the right work-life balance for you, consider starting by taking stock of your current obligations and how you’ve reacted to them in the past. Think about your successes and your failures. What was good, what was bad and what was in-between?
When we take time to assess where we’ve been and the emotions we felt along the way, we can better understand our own needs when it comes to handling different situations. That level of understanding opens up the possibility to learn how we can find simplicity at work and have the best balance in life.
As you begin to configure your routine, you’ll be able to more easily navigate personal and professional obligations so you can enjoy both more fully.
Tip 2: Make the Best of the Present
How many times have you heard someone say “Don’t forget to stop and smell the roses”? It can be so easy to get caught up in the chaos of work that we forget to stop and appreciate the beauty in our lives.
While you’re planning your week, try to schedule specific times on your calendar to focus on what matters most to you. Maybe it’s 15 minutes for a quick yoga session or planning a call to your friends or family. Just a little something that can give your ordinary workday a little sentimental kick on a regular basis.
In addition to implementing a routine at work, set up a routine at home! When you’re not working, make an effort to live in the moment whenever possible without the stress of the work to come. Turn off your email notifications, let your calls go to voicemail and enjoy your personal time making memories with the ones you love.
Tip 3: Invest in Your Future
Learning from the past and enjoying the present both come with the unique reward of being able to celebrate in the future. By learning from how you react to different situations, developing routines and championing simplicity whenever possible, you can create a path toward a balanced future.
By deploying a healthy work-life balance now, your future self will enjoy the health benefits of having lived a life with minimal stress. Not to mention all the extra time you’ll be able to enjoy and look back on fondly.
One way to take your future planning to the next level is with Lifestyle Spending Accounts and HSA Investments! Lifestyle Spending Accounts offer the flexibility to spend benefit dollars on the things that matter most now, while HSA Investments provide a platform to save for the things that will matter down the road. They’re perfect tools to establish a pattern of balance throughout your life. Stay tuned…more details about these programs are coming soon!
Your Time is Valuable
On any given day, you’re only afforded a set number of hours. It’s up to you to decide how you will spend those hours and the emotions you’ll feel along the way. By establishing a healthy work-life balance, you ensure that you’re making the most of your day without over-stressing or missing out.
At Clarity Benefit Solutions, we believe life is a journey; one that should be lived well. Our goal is to bring clarity into the challenging world of benefits and utilize technology to simplify benefit administration, reduce costs and empower our customers.
With a full suite of consumer benefits, we offer reliable solutions that ease pain points, provide clear direction, and lack unnecessary complexity. After all, simplicity is the key to living well. Simplicity is at the heart of our company and in the details of everything we do from championing National Simplicity Day to our Simply Smarter Approach to employee benefits. This mindset has led to thoughtful new ways for all of us to get the most out of our benefits and to ensure that people are ready for whatever comes their way.
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