Nowadays, it is impossible to separate our work and personal life. Technology allows us to multi-task with instant access to people and information. The events in our lives now happen exponentially faster than any generation before us, so when things go awry it can happen simultaneously with work and personal situations. It is easier to overwork or let personal events push us off our game. If we find a balance, we can take care of our health and personal life in ways that allow us to complete the work we need to get done. Here are the four things you can use to balance the high demand of work.
- Sleep
Sleep is more than just our body shutting down to rest. The brain is actually organizing all of the data it collected throughout the day and categorizing it for later use. Dreams often work to help us decipher and organize useful information (which is what makes interpreting dreams fun!). Dreams are more than memory consolidation. They’re also the way the brain generates ideas, which is why some people sleep with a pen and notepad next to their bed. Sleep is a productive tool your body uses to generate ideas from past experiences, so be more productive and sleep around 6 to 7 hours a night!
- Food
Your stomach is your second brain. The gut and brain are connected through the nervous system, which some nutritionists and scientists are successfully exploring. One study includes a man who makes investment decisions based on his gut instinct which he has naturally developed. A healthy diet with foods like yogurt for breakfast and some pickles have been used to help the chemistry of your stomach. The key is to eat as much whole foods as possible and to avoid any ingredients that you cannot pronounce. If you listen to your gut, you could make big decisions that will make you a leader people want to follow!
- Exercise
Exercise increases alertness and energy. Combined with a healthy diet, exercise can keep the blood flowing and give you the energy you need to stay focused throughout the day. Sitting for more than 4 hours can cause significant health damage but, with the help of exercise, you can stay focused even after breaks. Exercise also contributes to healthy cravings for food and helps you sleep better. It will equalize the mental work you put in at the office all day.
- Hobbies
Hobbies help to give our minds a vacation from routine stress and allow us to focus on activities we enjoy. Whether you prefer an indoor activity like writing or reading or something outdoorsy like fishing or hiking, hobbies are a great way to escape and give ourselves a mental break. They can also give us a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment that’s often harder to find in the workplace. Whether you wash your car or spend the day at the beach, give your mind time to decompress, so it can work in optimum capacity for work.
To create a balance between our life and work, we have to prioritize how we use our time. Make sure to set aside a certain number of hours for sleep and exercise, eat healthy, and plan time off to enjoy a hobby or a project. This will keep your work and personal life from falling out of balance and prevent burning out.