The 20 Minute Practice for Stress-Free Work/Life Balance

Becoming a workaholic is very common and can sometimes even be expected. Many of us are working long hours, dealing with long commutes, and have very little time for our families. While this type of schedule can be handled on a short-term basis for a deadline, when it becomes the everyday practice it can be very draining and lead to burnout or stress-related health issues.

It’s important to learn how to balance all the aspects of your life without just focusing on work. Sure, work is extremely important. It keeps your brain active and it provides the income necessary for you and your family to survive and have a comfortable lifestyle. But it also wears you down, especially if you go non-stop.

 

Balancing work with the rest of your life lies in a 20-minute exercise each day:

 

Five minutes for meditation.

This exercise at the beginning of each day is crucial. Meditating can mean the difference between attacking your day with ferocity and approaching it with an aura of calmness.

• Meditation centers your mind and calms your spirit. It also helps relieve any tension you feel about the day ahead.
• Meditation can help you focus on your inner power and remind you that you’re important to others.

 

Five minutes for planning.

Once you’ve meditated, it’s time to plan your day. Planning means organizing your tasks so you can be productive without hurting yourself.

• Prioritize your tasks based on their importance.
• Try your best to stick to the plan for the day. Having a clear plan for what you want to accomplish helps to keep you focused and stress-free.

 

 

Five minutes for checking in.

Whether all at once or in one-minute intervals throughout the day, check up on yourself. Assess how well you’ve been able to stick to your plan. Have you accomplished your important tasks? Have you been able to manage your day without losing your cool?

• There may be times when you’ll have to readjust your list of tasks. There are bound to be unforeseen circumstances. But what’s important is that you take them in stride.
• Avoid letting unexpected events throw your plan out completely. Take a moment to change your approach. Learn how to go with the flow.

 

Five minutes for winding down.

Now that you’ve come to the end of the day, it’s time to wind down. Taking time to wind down is the best way to relieve the stress of the day.

• Engage in some relaxing activities. Do you like yoga or would you prefer to sit quietly and listen to jazz music? Let go of what happened today and get ready for tomorrow.
• Winding down also opens you up to spending quality time with loved ones. You’ll probably agree that at the end of a busy day, you may be too tired to interact with anyone. That will change when you allow yourself to wind down each day.

 

Designating these 20 minutes each day can help you maintain a balance between your professional and personal lives. It can also help you manage all other aspects of your life with mindfulness and a practice of gratitude. Try it out and see how much better you feel.

 

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This post is part of the 31 Tips for Working Moms series. See the rest of the posts here: