27 Aug 5 Ways to Prioritize a Healthy Work-Life Balance
Short of quoting Jack Nicholson in the movie The Shining, you probably know what they say about all work and no play. When your work-life balance is off-kilter, you may feel emotionally or physically depleted.
And that can negatively impact job satisfaction and the quality of care you provide to your eye care patients.
The good news is that there are things you and your staff can do to beat burnout. What better way to start than to put your phone on pause, take a few deep breaths, and read through the following tips.
Set Clear Work-Life Boundaries
When it feels like you’re helping everyone else get their work done at the expense of completing your own, it’s time to consider setting clear boundaries. That’s especially true if the imbalance is affecting your personal life.
Healthy boundaries at work help you prioritize your work and results. Unlike barriers, boundaries still allow for communication and collaboration. They help clarify what you agree to be accountable for and what you expect of others to be successful.
Here are a few ways to help you draw a clear line:
- Determine your priorities—from your health to time with your kids—and decide what you will not compromise on.
- Communicate your boundaries and why you need them.
- Define specific working hours and ensure that you stick to them.
- Let peers know the best ways to communicate with you, whether that’s in person, over the phone, or through email or text.
- Dedicate quality time to yourself, family, and friends, and don’t let work-related tasks, emails, or electronic devices interfere.
Your boundaries will be tested time and again, so be prepared. Your supervisor, peers, and employees might not initially be used to the pushback. Over time, though, they’ll learn to respect your limits and your working relationships, which will strengthen your productivity.
Practice Self-Care to Cope with Everyday Stressors
In our workaholic culture, it can be tough not to feel guilty about putting yourself first. Self-care isn’t selfish, though. It helps build resilience so you can cope with everyday stressors—and that’s good for you and those around you.
“Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.” – Dolly Parton
- Start by taking short breaks throughout the workday to stretch, move around, and deep breathe.
- Take a walk on your lunch break and try to nourish yourself with healthy foods.
- Practicing mindfulness can boost your energy levels, too.
- Focus on being present, slowing down, and tackling one task at a time instead of multitasking.
- Outside of work, devote time to activities that bring you joy and relaxation. That includes spending time with people who help fill—not drain—your tank.
- It’s important to stay mentally and physically active, so set aside time for learning a new hobby, reading a book, or taking an exercise class.
- Getting enough sleep every night is also a must. It helps level out your mood, improve brain function, and boost your energy.
The key to self-care is to stick to it, so it becomes part of your daily routine.
Learn to Say “No”
Saying no doesn’t come naturally to most of us. We don’t want to let down our employers, peers, family, or friends. Yet, when you don’t say no, you end up spreading yourself too thin, and your work, relationships, and mental and physical health suffer.
By saying no to some requests, you can say yes to those that may be more meaningful or impactful.
“A considered no protects you. The right yes allows you to serve others, make a difference, collaborate successfully, and increase your influence. You want to gain a reputation for saying no at the right times for the right reasons and make every single yes really count.” –The Harvard Review
It’s important to recognize your limits, so you can be selective about where you allocate your time and energy. It takes courage to say no. The more you practice it, the easier it’ll be. Plus, your no may give someone else an opportunity.
Delegate Tasks and Seek Support
There’s truth in English poet John Donne’s line, “No man is an island.” People need each other and are stronger together. You don’t have to do everything on your own.
Asking for support is healthy, whether in the face of a mounting workload or a personal situation. Letting go can alleviate stress, prevent burnout, and help build trust with peers, family, and friends.
“Studies show that employee burnout among the U.S. workforce remains high at 45%.” –Beckers Hospital Review
If you’re running an eye care practice, delegation can make your business run more smoothly. Allocating tasks across your staff motivates and empowers employees, and gives them growth opportunities while freeing them up to focus on patient care.
Plus, when your team sees you delegating tasks and putting trust in them, they’re likely to follow suit. Here are a few things to consider to make delegation more successful:
- Training: Set up staff for success by ensuring they’re prepared to handle their new assignments. For instance, MaximEyes.com’s one-system EHR and practice management software tackles frustrations by reducing hurdles with a built-in Learning Center. It’s your go-to place for informative documents, courses, videos, walkthroughs, and more that guide you in the right direction within minutes or seconds.
- Expectations: Clarify expectations upfront so there aren’t any gray areas and everyone is on the same page.
- Communication: Foster an environment of open communication, so everyone feels comfortable asking for help.
Start by offloading small tasks. Then, gradually increase the complexity of the tasks you’re delegating. Support at work and beyond helps foster a healthy work-life balance.
Unplug and Disconnect Regularly
In many ways, technology has improved our lives. It’s made it easier to communicate with people near and far, automate routine tasks, and uncover information at our fingertips. It’s also made people more disconnected, lonely, and stressed. That’s why it’s important to take regular breaks from our screens.
A Journal of Social and Clinical study found that limiting social media use to approximately 30 minutes/day can significantly improve well-being. Disconnecting may reduce anxiety and depression, increase focus and productivity, and improve sleep. It also gives you more time to put into relationships and the things that bring you joy.
Here are some tips to unplug:
- Try a digital detox: Disconnect from work and personal emails, text messages, and notifications, as well as video games, TVs, smartphones, tablets, laptops, and computers. Schedule a time to unplug so it becomes a daily routine.
- Revamp your sleep routine: Cut off-screen time 30–60 minutes before bed, and don’t fall into the trap of checking your phone first thing when you wake up in the morning.
- Practice mindful eating: Instead of scrolling during a meal, put your phone away and focus on what you’re putting into your body.
- Put your energy into joy: Take the time you usually devote to your screens and use it to explore a new hobby, read a book, spend time with friends and family, get out in nature, or do whatever recharges you.
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