How Can Mindfulness Improve Work-Life Balance?

Mindfulness is the concept of taking control of ourselves, including our minds and bodies with respect to our surroundings, to become more aware of our thoughts, feelings and experiences and bring us back into the present moment.

Since work forms an integral part of our lives, we sometimes over-immerse ourselves into it. However, there are many other aspects of life besides work that need to take care of and it’s important to maintain a good work-life balance in your personal and professional life.

Why is work-life balance important?

Work life balance is more than a fashionable term that we use. It impacts our wellbeing, personal safety, health and family life. And while some countries and companies are working towards improving work-life balance, there is a lot of work that needs to be done.

Reasons to maintain work-life balance

1. Work-related tension can impact our personal and social life. When we maintain the balance, it helps us efficiently manage home and work. If we are not able to maintain this balance, our office can start impacting our life at home. If we have problem separating work and home, we need to devise a plan which would help us overcome professional burnout.

2. We also need greater control in all aspects of our lives. When we leave office, all our work-related stress must not make inroads to our life at home. Therefore, a balanced approach helps us improve the quality of time we spend with our friends and family. Similarly, our domestic problems remain at home, letting us improve our productivity in the office.

3. Stress alone can be detrimental to our health. Research indicates that work-related stress can have negative effects on our health. Therefore, maintaining a work-life balance helps us enjoy a healthier life. We are able to take time out to exercise, relax, and eat healthier food. Thus, maintenance of work-life balance leaves a positive impact on our health.

Ways to use mindfulness for maintaining work-life balance

Here are some of the ways to improve work-life balance using mindfulness:

Meditation and breathing exercises

Meditation is an important concept that we need to embrace in our lives. It is a method accessible to everyone and can help us relax. It can bring the mind and the body into unison. We are able to feel an improvement in our focus and concentration.

Similarly, breathing exercises give us a way to get rid of the negative energy accumulating in our body. Even with a busy lifestyle, small sessions of 30 seconds each can greatly help us overcome work stress. Breathing exercise will calm the senses and enable us overcome the more stressful situations in life.

Take things professionally, not personally

Often, work becomes stressful due to different factors. Sometimes, the problems at home start impacting our performance. At other times we are not careful enough to perfectly execute a task. However, we must always focus on the contents of the feedback.

Our boss or seniors may sometimes become too demanding. We may be told that we were not able to complete a task to a satisfactory level. It does not mean that they are against us as a person. Instead, they want to improve the quality of the work. So, instead of creating negative energy, we must take it as an opportunity to improve the quality of our work and not take it as a personal attack.

Focus on job at hand

Focus is the key to implementing mindful best practices. There are all sorts of distractions around us which may impact our productivity. Sometimes, our mind tries to trick us towards distractions under job stress.

Similarly, we may try to put today’s work onto tomorrow. When we put some urgent task on a back burner due to its difficult nature, it can also create problems for us. Therefore, always try to finish the tasks according to the nature of their urgency. Similarly, if you feel a task is too complex, try to break down into simpler steps.

Finish work on time

Remaining focused on our work makes us more efficient and productive. One of the reasons for being edgy and uncomfortable about work is not being able to finish assigned tasks in a timely fashion. When we are not able to get things done on time, it has a snowball effect in others areas of life.

We can sometimes become overwhelmed by the number of tasks that we need to complete. It can lead to late sittings in the office, resulting in less time spent with family and friends.

Research shows that it is important for us to spend some quality time with friends and family members. It helps us lead a happier and fulfilling life. The happiness we derive helps us relieve stress, become more productive, and maintain better work-life balance.

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