In today’s fast-paced society, the idea of achieving work-life balance can feel like an impossible dream. Many struggle to find time for themselves between demanding jobs, family responsibilities, and personal goals. But is work-life balance even real, or is it just an unrealistic expectation? While balance may not always mean an equal split, it is possible to create a life where work and personal well-being coexist in a healthy and sustainable way.
Why Is Work-Life Balance Important?
Work-life balance isn’t just a buzzword—it plays a crucial role in mental and physical well-being. Without balance, chronic stress can lead to burnout, anxiety, and even physical health issues. When work takes over, relationships can suffer, self-care is neglected, and overall satisfaction with life decreases. On the other hand, maintaining a healthy balance allows people to feel more present in their personal lives, experience less stress, and improve overall productivity at work. The goal isn’t to split time evenly between work and personal life but to create a sustainable and fulfilling rhythm.
3 Ways to Achieve Work-Life Balance
- Set Boundaries and Stick to Them:
One of the biggest reasons people struggle with work-life balance is the inability to set boundaries. Establishing clear work hours and unplugging from work emails or messages after hours can help create a distinct separation between professional and personal time. Communicate these boundaries with coworkers, supervisors, and family members to ensure that they are respected.
As an anxiety counselor in Woodland Hills, we know first that many people struggle with setting boundaries.
A lot of us can think of extreme scenarios in which we will have to cross a boundary and opt out of setting and determining them, quitting before we even start. The truth is that the majority of boundaries will never be tested with a worst-case scenario, and most will be pushed and prodded by everyday requests or options. There are always obligations that come up that we have to do, but those events should be rare. The majority of your use of free will should be dedicated to honoring your own boundaries. You find inner peace when you are doing what you want to do and not doing what you don’t want to do.
When considering your boundaries, take some time to determine what your highest values are. Of course, keeping a roof over your head and food on the table are a high priority; thus, the work part of your work-life balance. Don’t forget that by going to your job for your scheduled hours and doing it, you are honoring that obligation already. Outside of work, what do you value? Is it time spent on your hobbies, your family, travel, rest and relaxation, working toward a different career? Whatever you care about is valid, and you have every right to prioritize it.
A boundary isn’t a rule for you to enforce with others; it is the line you have drawn for yourself. When someone knowingly crosses a boundary, it is up to you to honor that boundary in a way that is appropriate. If that means ignoring a message sent after hours, so be it. If it means logging out of certain software when you clock out for the day, so be it. If it means you cannot travel to attend something, so be it. Only you can decide what your boundaries are and what you are willing and able to do to enforce them.
It can be one thing to set boundaries and quite a different thing to stick to them. No matter how big or small you feel an ask is, you have the right to honor a boundary you have set. It may be easier at first to stick to the boundaries about lower-stakes issues because you don’t feel as invested in them or because the thing being asked of you isn’t as big of a deal. You may also discover that you find it easier to be more stringent about the boundaries surrounding things that you find to be a big deal. Don’t forget that all boundaries that are set have been set for a reason, so no matter what it is or how it comes up, take the time to consider if something being asked of you is crossing a line, and stick to it. It is easier to keep a routine, which helps you to stay true to the boundaries you’ve set. It is also easier for others to predict how you will respond when you are consistent. Something that is a firm boundary one day and a flexible topic the next is hard to remember and stick to.
Assume the people in your life want to know your boundaries because they want to help you do what works for you. When you uphold your own limits, you also demonstrate that it is a safe environment for others to do the same. The more honest and respectful you can be with one another about boundaries, the easier it is to collaborate and support one another so that everyone’s needs are considered (and met as often as possible).
2) Prioritize Self-Care Without Guilt:
Many people feel guilty for taking time for themselves, but self-care is essential for maintaining emotional well-being. It also helps with productivity, so there is no reason for anyone to feel as though it is lazy or irresponsible to make sure they are taking care of themselves. Prioritizing activities such as exercise, hobbies, or simply relaxing helps recharge your energy and prevent burnout.
It can be a struggle to let go of the “rise and grind” mindset, though hopefully, you are able to give yourself permission for You Time without justifying it with the benefits it will have for your productivity. In the beginning, you may have to ease into the idea by taking note of how much more energy you have to tackle your work and tasks when you have properly provided for yourself. The first step is to start prioritizing self-care in whatever way you can and check in with yourself mentally and physically as you do. Schedule time to rest if you have to at first. Set an alarm that reminds you to get up and refill your water bottle or walk around your workspace. Block off time to do something low-energy, like coloring or watching an episode of your favorite show. Schedule time to move your body, whether you sign up for a class or go for a walk around the block after dinner. Take note of how you sleep, your mental clarity, your emotional resilience. How are they impacted by self-care? You will see the benefits you experience when you take a pause and let yourself have space to rest, relax, and refuel. In time, they will become second nature.
Speak kindly to yourself about the care you deserve. When you are first implementing self-care, you may discover that you have a lot of preconceived notions about your worthiness of being cared for. Whether you’ve absorbed messaging about your value being linked to what you produce for society or whether you have been raised and socialized to expect no rest, space, and comfort, you might have some ideas to unpack. If you were raised by someone who didn’t have any self-care habits, you might not have seen them modeled for you. Conversely, if you were raised by someone whose self-care was not only their priority but by default became yours, you may have lived a life of service to others and find it foreign to do yourself the same courtesy. At any point in your life, you may have taken on the idea that you could prove your value to the people around you by working harder; you might overwork to compensate for something else in your life. Maybe you have insecurities that are assuaged by your accomplishments at work, or maybe you are missing things in your life outside of work that are easier to ignore when you are busy with your occupation. If you get caught up in how deserving you are of care, consider what you would say to a friend who was wondering the same thing. How would you feel watching from the outside as someone you loved disregarded their needs or questioned if they were worthy of setting aside time and space to care for themselves?
Remember, taking care of yourself allows you to show up as your best self in all areas of life. Taking care of yourself would be valid even if the only person who felt the benefits was you, but it’s simply not the case. Proper rest, nutrition, and hydration allow your brain to function as it should, allowing you to bring your best mental self to your workday. Having your physical needs met helps with emotional regulation; it is easier to lose your cool and say something you wish you could take back when you are hungry or tired. Making space to do the things you love refills your emotional tank, meaning you have more happiness and love to give and share.
3) Learn to Say No:
Overcommitting is a surefire way to lose balance. Learning to say no- whether to extra projects at work or social obligations that feel draining- can help free up time for things that truly matter. There is always some ubran legend about a person who did the opposite of what you want to do, whose whole success hinged on that choice. Many people experience a nagging voice in the backs of their minds about hurting feelings or missing a chance to advance by declining a social invitation, or the perception they give when they decline to work above their pay grade. Saying “no” in all aspects of life can come with baggage about what kind of person we are, how much we really want something, or some other supposed measure of our characters or ambitions. It’s okay to decline opportunities that do not align with your well-being and goals.
We see people for anxiety therapy in Woodland Hills who panic at the idea of saying no to anything or anyone.
Learning to say no is about unlearning the ideas you have about what happens when you do so. What do you think it says about you when you say no? What do you think the worst-case scenario of saying no is? Whether you attend in-person or online anxiety therapy, practicing saying no is vital to your ability to advocate for yourself and your mental health. It is through learning to say no that you learn that the world doesn’t stop when you do. There is no guarantee of a positive outcome when you say no; sometimes, it might cost you in some ways. But there is also no guarantee of a negative outcome, despite what you may fear. In fact, saying no to what you don’t want is often a great way to make space for what you do want. It can be clarifying and inspiring to eliminate what you don’t want or need.
Learning how to say no often starts small. You may opt to start by saying no to small asks, even if it doesn’t feel like it will be clearing much off your plate to decline. Practicing saying no is how you normalize doing so, and being able to reject offers politely but firmly is a life skill. The more you practice, the easier it gets. Say no inside and outside of work, whenever it feels most natural. Become familiar with “no” being a complete sentence; sometimes, it has to be.
Don’t assume you have zero practice when you are learning to say no. Think of the things you decline without guilt. Maybe they’re foods you’re allergic to or invitations for drinks on Wednesdays when you literally have to leave right away to pick up your child from school. In these cases, the “no” seems obvious to you, either for your health or for a prior obligation. Do you feel bad that you have a food allergy? (Hopefully, you do not.) Do you feel like you should leave your child waiting on the boulevard while you go out with your work mates just so you don’t have to tell them no? Take note of the things you say no to. Consider the guilt you don’t feel and the confidence you have in declining whatever offer it was.
In our Woodland Hills Anxiety therapy sessions, we talk a lot about the factors that contribute to feeling spread too thin.
Building confidence in yourself through self-care and adhering to your boundaries can help you to find a work-life balance that feels right for you. There is no way to guard against schedule changes, and incidents will arise where you have to be flexible and adaptable in balancing your work with the wants and needs of your life outside of it. Compromise is a part of every aspect of life. But it is key to know your hard limits and to know that you deserve to enforce them. Looking out for yourself is a life skill that takes practice and an open mind, and it is worth the effort.
Anxiety Therapy at Embracing You Therapy
Do you find yourself constantly worrying or feeling overwhelmed by stress? Are you struggling to maintain a healthy work-life balance, navigate life changes, or set clear boundaries with others?
Through Anxiety Therapy in Woodland Hills, CA, you can learn practical CBT and mindfulness strategies to help you manage your emotions, develop healthier thought patterns, and create positive changes in your life.
Contact us today for your complimentary 20-minute phone consultation with our Admin Team today!
