The Trick to Balancing Work and Play
Being a grownup can be tough, but navigating the real world is also a privilege. One of the challenges of being an adult is balancing work and play. It’s something you’ve already had to do in one way or another when balancing school and other commitments with having fun. But when you’re an adult, it seems to become more difficult to have fun that it is to get your work done. A full-time job can sometimes end up being all consuming, and it’s hard to get time for yourself. However, even though it can be tough, you can find a way to balance your work and personal lives.
Separate Work and Home
If you want to balance work and play, the first thing you need to do is separate them. This can be hard if your employer expects you to respond to them if they try to contact you at any time. But enforcing boundaries is important, and you don’t always need to respond to emails or phone calls right away. One thing that can help is having two phones, so you won’t be tempted to check your work email while you’re at home. You can turn your work phone off when you’re not working, unless you’re needed for emergencies.
Having a Social Life with a Full-time Job
Keeping up your social life when you work full-time isn’t always easy. All your friends work too, and finding times when you’re all available can be tricky. But you can still be social on any night of the week if you make plans in advance. However, if you’re planning a weeknight outing, make sure you’re going to be on top of your game the next day. Don’t overdo it with alcohol, or at least have your favorite hangover medicine on hand so you’re ready for work the next day. There’s no reason you can’t go out when you have work the next day, but choose your outings carefully.
Take Time for Yourself Before Work
After a full day at work, you often just want to collapse on the sofa and not do anything. Usually, mornings are completely dedicated to getting ready for work and completing your commute. But you can use the mornings before work to get some time to yourself too. Instead of just getting dressed and heading out the door, give yourself time to read a book or do something creative. You can use your commute to do something you enjoy too.
Use Your Vacation Time
There can sometimes be pressure not to go on vacation too much or even use all of your vacation time. But it’s there to be used, and traveling when you’re young isn’t to be missed. As long as you’re making a valuable contribution to the company, you deserve to take time off. Use your weekends to their full potential too. You can do more than sit around relaxing every weekend. Go on some short trips or attend some events.
It might be a bit difficult to balance work and play, but it’s not impossible. It’s important to work out how to do it for a healthy lifestyle.
