Aligning Your Work With Your Life

Whether you’re working at an office, at home, or a combination of both, it’s important to try to make time for the other people and activities in your life (outside of your job).

Many families find that the demands of work affect their relationships—whether it’s time with kids, partners, or parents. Connecting with your life outside of work is something to strive for, no matter what. It’s also key to practice strong communication skills, manage your time and stress, focus on nutrition, and stay physically active to boost your performance and achieve a healthy integration of work and personal life.

Aligning Your Work with Your Life

• Optimize Family Time. Aim for quality over quantity. Incorporate core family fun (games or dinner together) with new experiences that help build skills or cement relationships.
• Make Wellness a Habit. Not having enough time is one of the biggest obstacles to getting adequate exercise. Block 30-60 minutes a day in your schedule for workouts. You can also use family or social time to be active together.
• Teamwork Makes the Dream Work. Unhealthy work relationships affect motivation, commitment, productivity, and performance. Build trust with coworkers and those you lead by letting your guard down, having fun, and focusing on the responsibilities and projects that bond you.
• Stay Fit. About 80% of adults and children don't meet the recommended guidelines for physical activity and aerobic/muscular strengthening. Physical activity helps protect against burnout, especially in jobs that aren't physically demanding. Perform at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week to fight physical, mental, and emotional fatigue.
• Find Meaning at Work. Take time daily to reflect on your value system to help yourself grow and find new ways to apply your spirituality or values at work and at home.
• Avoid Burnout. Learn the signs of burnout and combat it by spending time with loved ones at home and building healthy relationships while at work.
• Live a Life, Not a To-do List. Improve your quality of life by prioritizing what's important. To get the most out of the tasks you already have, reflect on what you can learn, who it helps and brings you closer to, and what you enjoy.
• Share Meals. Family and shared meals are linked to healthier diets. Meal prep or cook in batches on weekends so you can enjoy mealtime with family and friends during the busy workweek.
• Success Starts at the Top. Most people say feeling respected and trusting their leaders is crucial to job satisfaction and engagement. If you're a leader, start with you! Set boundaries, communicate, and practice self-care. Meet with team members one-on-one to talk about social support, hobbies, and what motivates them.