Successful work-life balance

Schedule personal time for things that improve your mood. What do you enjoy? Whether it’s sport, yoga, meditation, reading, music, nature, cooking, writing, crafting, dancing – mindfully enjoy your time for yourself.

Stress is normal – as long as it’s temporary and followed by relaxation. However, chronic stress can make us sick. It exhausts us both emotionally and physically, weakens the immune system and can lead to cardiovascular diseases. Learn how to cope with stress in a healthy way. To do this, you need to know your stress traps. What triggers stress for you? 

These days, many professionals are able to flexibly structure their working time and location – often by working from home. Flexible work models, teleworking and working from home offer opportunities and greater freedom, improve motivation and create greater unity between family and work – but also come with risks. Not everyone is good at managing the blurring of boundaries between work and free time. If you are unable to disconnect and really relax, it can take a toll on your productivity and health. Workers need to mindfully establish boundaries between work and personal life, observe the results, and dynamically adjust the boundaries to suit new situations. This is called boundary management. How can you mindfully manage the boundaries between work and personal life? Check out the podcast on this issue by Birgit Werkmann-Karcher of ZHAW Zurich, Institute of Applied Psychology.

No one can do everything at once and meet all expectations, even their own. Perfectionism is a killer. Focus on the important stuff. And delegate! Which tasks can be passed on to others? Who could jump in to help give you more freedom? Are you able to give up responsibility? What can you strike from your schedule? Saying no isn’t a crime; it’s a healthy part of self-management. Maybe your employer (or someone else) offers a course on the topic of time management?

Regularly press the pause button – both figuratively and literally. Taking a break in the fresh air can inspire new ideas. Also pause for meals. Don’t read the news at the same time, and leave your work desk to eat. Short relaxation exercises can also help. Meditation, mindfulness training with MBSR, progressive muscle relaxation, breathing breaks – relax in your own way. Depending on your insurance coverage, Helsana helps cover various health promotion courses. 

Social contacts are an important resource. Do you regularly put off meeting friends due to lack of time or energy? Instead, set a fixed time window of 8 to 10 p.m. This will allow you to come home and still have a social evening. This is sure to improve your quality of life!

We admit, it’s hard to exercise at the end of a strenuous day. But the extra effort is worth it. Jogging or taking a walk after or even during work can help clear your head. Take your bike instead of the car. Sport can help to relieve tension and release endorphins. Afterwards, you’ll feel more awake and more content.

Do you often feel overwhelmed by too many tasks, obligations and deadlines? Create a to-do list. This will help you to structure and prioritise your tasks. Set realistic daily goals and sub-goals for bigger tasks. Do the most difficult things first to get them out of the way. When planning, keep in mind your personal performance curve – when are you most productive? Do one task after the other and set a time limit for each one. Avoid multitasking, which just makes us feel nervous and lose focus.