5 Steps to Nurturing Your Work-Life Blend [Free Resource!]

It’s a blend, not a balance.

A work life balance implies a few things.

1. Out of 100% our aim is to get a perfect balance of 50:50
2. That you must keep work and personal life separate to achieve a balance of the two

We understand that to excel in our work, we must bring our whole selves, including important personal aspects, into what we do. It’s about being the best version of ourselves while working and outside of work. While there is some level of balance involved, the term “blend” better encompasses the interconnectedness and integration of work and personal life.

In this blend, we recognise that a perfect 50:50 balance is not a realistic goal. Instead, we strive to create a harmonious integration of work and personal life, acknowledging that different aspects of our lives enrich and influence one another. By embracing this holistic approach, we can lead more fulfilling lives, where work and personal experiences coexist and support our overall well-being.

Here are ways you can nurture your work-life blend and steadily avoid burn out!

Creating a work-life blend is crucial for people in tech to prevent burnout and maintain mental and physical well-being. Below I have created some points on how you can nurture your work-life blend and bring your whole self to everything you do, whilst looking after your well-being.

1. Scheduling dedicated time for relaxation and personal activities

Some days I find myself with back to back meetings all day long, all week long, I’ve not time for a cuppa tea, let alone my own thoughts?! Scheduling regular breaks throughout the day to recharge and give your mind some space, not only can lead to higher productivity for yourself, but can fend off burn out, so you’re not ending the day totally exhausted.

When I say regular breaks, you can use these breaks to engage in activities help relax you. Some ideas include:

• Taking a walk
• Practicing deep breathing exercises
• Listening to music.
  

This also applies after your work hours too, pulling in time to make sure you get your dose of community, socials and self, make sure you carve out specific time slots in your schedule for personal activities that bring you joy and fulfilment, could be hobbies, spending time with friends or family, exercise.

This ^ but in BOLD if you work remotely, as humans we need our communities, so to nurture your blend, by making your days less stressful, setting your boundaries, and not exhausting our minds, we can become genuinely happier by pursuing our out of work activities and filling our cups back up.

2. Practicing effective time management

Prioritising

Prioritise your tasks and focus on the most important and urgent ones. Some productivity techniques you can try out to optimize your time and enhance productivity.:

• Pomodoro Technique
• Time blocking
• Task batching

Delegation

Recognise that you don’t have to do everything yourself and that asking for help can lighten your workload and create more space and efficiency for the projects you already have.

3. Utilising technology to your advantage

Leveraging technology tools

Leverage technology tools to streamline your work processes and increase efficiency and decrease chances of burnout! Project management software, communication platforms, and task management apps can help you stay organised, collaborate effectively, and reduce time spent on administrative tasks.

-> See my post on Instagram for all the top tools I use to keep me productive.

Set boundaries with technology usage

Establish tech-free zones or times, especially during personal activities or when spending time with loved ones. This helps to create a healthier balance between your digital and offline life. For example, a tech free zone during evening meal times helps with mindful eating and can encourage face to face community/social opportunities.

4. Taking regular holidays and breaks

Make use of your annual leave to disconnect from work and rejuvenate. Plan and take regular breaks, even breaks which are shorter in duration, can help you recharge, explore new experiences, make new memories and appreciate your day to day life more.

During breaks, avoid checking work emails or engaging in work-related tasks. Use this time to fully disconnect and focus on self-care and relaxation.

5. Establishing boundaries

Generally, boundaries are really important to place in life in many areas, but in this regard I am talking about setting clear boundaries between work and personal life. By defining specific work hours and sticking to them as much as possible you can avoid bringing work-related tasks or concerns into your personal time.

I have created a free downloadable email template you can personalise and use to communicate your boundaries to colleagues, supervisors, and clients, so they understand your availability and can respect your personal time. This template is great if you’re getting inundated with work outside of your work hours and need to clearly state that outside of work hours, that they won’t be getting a reply. Or if you have set working hours that differ from your colleagues, or

Download your free email template here!!

Nurturing a work-life blend is process, where you will keep editing what works for you depending on your season of life and priorities at the time. We can find small ways to ensure our foundations in life are strong to live a happy and fulfilling work-life blend.

Let me know your thoughts on this blog and don’t forget to grab your free download!

Happy blending! Rachel