Having a work-life balance has major benefits for our overall health and happiness. In Ireland today, work-life balance is becoming more crucial than ever before – as more and more people are looking to spend more time with hobbies and their loved ones.

So what is work-life balance? How can you improve your work-life balance? I will try to explain briefly in this post.

What is Work-life Balance?

It simply means having a meaningful and purposeful life in both your professional and personal circles. Therefore, there is no “one size fits all” rule since it varies with individuals and the circumstances.

However, the end goal is to feel fulfillment and accomplishment.

Ways to Improve Work-Life Balance in Ireland.

1. Take Care of Your Mental Health.

The number of people dealing with mental health issues in Ireland increases daily. You may be working too much without realizing how much it affects your mental health.

This could quickly lead to stress and burnout, and may also lead to even lower performance at work and personal life.

One way to take care of your mental health is by taking breaks throughout the day. Go offline from work at the end of your workday and focus on other things.

If you are working from home, you may try to look at the positives here.

2. Take a Vacation.

Did you know that going back to work after a vacation, feeling happy and re-energized, rubs off on your colleagues? Even if you are working from home, this is important. Do not think or feel that it is a waste of time.

You don’t have to leave the country to enjoy a vacation. Simply hop on a train and go for a day or 2 in the town next door. Ireland is chuck -full of small towns to discover.

The idea is to leave your current environment for a short while. Taking a vacation calms and refocuses your mind, and draws you closer to your family and friends. The simplest pleasures are often the best ones!   

3. Exercise.

The benefits of exercise cannot be overlooked. Have a daily routine that includes a workout either in the morning or evening, as this will increase your overall productivity levels.  

You don’t need a gym membership, as there are many online home workouts you can try. If you cannot be bothered, simply put some headphones on, listen to your favourite Spotify playlist or podcast and take a walk around the neighborhood.

The goal here is to release endorphins. So give it a try!

4. Do the Most Important Tasks first.

Have a priority list. Do the most important tasks first (i.e, tasks with a tight deadline), the easier tasks second, and the more time-consuming ones last. This is how I do it. However, your style may be different. Some people prefer to do the most unpleasant task first.

The idea here is that this will reduce stress, as you have dealt with the “elephant in the room” first. However, you run the risk of doing the right thing at the wrong time, thereby wasting even more time and messing up your priorities.

In conclusion, having a work-life balance is very possible, especially for people in careers where you can also work from home.i.e, several IT-related jobs in Ireland. However, for work-life balance to exist, you need to be very intentional about it by making deliberate plans and taking deliberate action.

Do you agree or disagree with the above? Share your thoughts in the comments below, as well as any other tips you may have!

Thank you.