How I Balance the "Always On" Life
“Always on” is the new normal. As constantly connected individuals, we’re used to seeing work messages 24-7 and we often just accept the reality of it. I found a few ways to quiet the noise and deflect the notifications - and it’s made a HUGE difference in my work/life balance and my overall stress level. Let me know if they work for you!
Set hours. First, I set myself work hours (I go with the traditional M-F 9-5, but yours can be what works best for you). I know this is hard to stick to (TELL me about it, social media never stops!), but I actively work on leaving work for working hours and home for the rest of the hours. This certainly doesn’t happen every day, and I let myself break the rules all the time when I want an afternoon break, a morning lie in, or a long lunch away from my screen - often making up for it at night. However, I usually don’t answer client emails or messages outside of my designated work hours. Doing this sends the wrong idea that I’m always available, and it’s not something I’d want them to get used to.
Leave it in the office. As much as I love working from the couch or my bed, I try to leave my work in one physical place so that it doesn’t literally “creep” into the rest of my life. As tempting as it is to get some items checked off my list from my phone while I’m waiting in line somewhere or when I see a new email come through, but I try to wait until I’m in my office with my work zone mindset on. I find that this leaves smaller room for error and keeps me focused on what I’m dong vs. always getting pulled back to work. Plus, I usually find that if I do something away from my desk or say “I’ll do that when I get home!” I almost always forget.
Separate your phone lines. This is HUGE! I mean HUGE. I recently opted for a new Google Voice number to keep all of my work communication separate, and I feel like a new person. I keep the app on my phone in case of an emergency or in case I want to check it on the go, but otherwise, my client texts go straight to that number which is docked in my web browser during my working hours (key word, working hours!). Note: the texts do not copy to my phone, which is an option in the settings. I do have the texts copy to my email which is also an option to ensure I never miss one, but this isn’t necessary. The result? My client texts never come to my personal phone and I’m never pulled away from personal activities to work. I only see them when I go to check them. The caveat in case there is an urgent matter? I simply told my clients to send me an email that says URGENT (I usually peep my email during off-times just to see if anything major is happening). So far, so good!
Say no. This is the hardest one for me but nonetheless one that I use more and more as my business grows. Sometimes we get pushed outside of our work/life balance boundaries. While some circumstances require “taking one for the team”, remember that this is work - this isn’t the most important thing. Your free time is sacred, and it’s yours. If a meeting falls outside of your hours and you don’t want to stretch it, ask to reschedule. If a client is calling you at night, don’t feel the need to answer. Unless you’re a brain surgeon - why would you need to be on call 24-7? It’s okay to offer times that work better for you. And no, you don’t need to state a reason. Ever!
