Even if you are the most dedicated professional, you may think you will one day enjoy the fruits of your labor and not regret all those extra hours you spend at work when you are older, but the fact of the matter is, you should be working in order to live and not the other way round.

So, in an effort to help you achieve a better work to life balance, read on for some effective ways of providing yourself (and by extension, your family) a better quality of life and a clear line between the office and your home.

Remember, It’s Fine to Say ’No’

Whether you are at the top of the ladder within your particular company, or you have only recently started with this particular business and are, therefore, farther down, everyone has to answer to someone in a professional setting and as such, it can often feel as though you have no option but to agree.

In fact, people will begin to respect you considerably more if you stop blindly saying ‘yes’ to everything that is offered to you in the office, and even though it can sometimes be challenging, saying ‘no’ more often will only benefit your work/life balance.

Tips to help you learn how to say ‘no’ (even occasionally) at work include:

  • Asking for time to consider the question rather than making a split-second decision
  • Only ever say ‘sorry’ if you actually are sorry for what you have done
  • Never feel pressured to reveal more details as to why you are declining
  • Qualify your ‘no’ with encouragement at the end

Set Clear Boundaries When Working from Home

It is also just as important to draw a line between working from home and having downtime at home, and part and parcel of this is to ensure that you can be as productive and as efficient as possible at work by upgrading to fiber internet from Frontier.

In addition, you also need to create a working environment—either inside your dedicated home office or at a simple desk and chair set-up in the living room—which makes you feel as if you are at work.

Tips for designing a home office suited to efficiency and productivity include the following:

  • Add inspiring quotes and other touches to help align your focus
  • Include indoor plants suited to such conditions for cleaner and fresher air
  • Always aim to position your desk and chair underneath a window
  • Allow as much natural light inside the office as possible

Search for a Job You Genuinely Love (Or at Least Like)

Unless you are a millionaire, unfortunately, you need to work, but even though this is a given, this does not mean that you need to spend fifty-plus hours a week being miserable.
Naturally, it is always easier to stick with your current role in a company you are familiar with and with colleagues you know, but you only have one life, and you should do everything you can to ensure your work is a venture that you are both passionate about and proud to do.

Schedule Time Away from the Screen

These days, if you are over the age of ten and under the age of sixty, chances are you are constantly walking around with your smartphone and/or your tablet in your hand, and if you stopped to think about it, this simply was not what humans have evolved to do.

From now on, strive to schedule just a couple of hours every other day, once your working shift has ended, whereby the only screen you watch is the television and the only stress you have is to whether order take-out or cook in the kitchen.

Not only will taking a break from electronics have a positive effect on your emotional health and stress levels, but it will also give your eyes a break from the blue light that emanates from all smart devices.

Prioritize Your Physical Health

Finally, but exceedingly importantly, the healthier you are in your physical fitness levels, the more productive you will be whilst working and the more energy you will have to socialize and take care of commitments in your personal life.

For example, if your job role involves spending hours at a time sitting at a desk and staring at the computer, try to schedule regular stretching and walking breaks when your schedule allows. Learn some simple stretching exercises specifically designed for office workers to prevent health issues such as deep vein thrombosis, which can occur in those who are sitting in one place for too long.