How to maintain a work life balance

It is important to have a balance between your job and the other areas of your life so you can be productive, healthy and happy both at work and outside of it. To achieve this balance, plan your day around the most important projects, take regular breaks and make use of your annual work leave to successfully strike a balance between your job and the other areas of your life.

Prioritise your work tasks

It is important to determine the most urgent tasks for the day and allocate sufficient time to complete them. If you are unsure about what requires your direct attention, ask your manager for some advice and assistance. Other responsibilities that are not a high priority can be scheduled for a later date or delegated to another colleague. This will help keep you on top of your workload and limit the amount of hours that you spend at work.

Structure time at work

Once you have defined your priorities, structure your day around them. By grouping similar tasks together you can be more efficient in completing all your daily jobs. You will then be able to complete high priority tasks first, medium priority tasks next and so on. This will give you the freedom to allocate breaks during the day, once a segment of work is complete, as well as ensure you can comfortably meet deadlines for various activities.

Take breaks

You should take some personal time during the day for activities that are not related to your job. By taking your lunch break, you can go for a run or engage with colleagues on a social level. Also consider taking shorter breaks throughout the day to run personal errands if you don't have the time to do them before or after work. This will allow you to achieve goals outside of your career, as well as daily jobs during the work day.

Make use of annual holidays

If you are unable to make time for yourself during the day, consider going on extended leave. You may take time for your hobbies, an overseas holiday or Christmas. Taking this time away from work allows you to dedicate it to your interests and spend some time relaxing and unwinding.

Watch this short video and find out how Senior Managing Director of Michael Page and Page Personnel in Greater China, Andy Bentote manages her career goals and parenting life.