Are you feeling guilty about not spending enough time with your loved ones lately? No matter how hard you try to strike a Work-life balance in today’s Digital age, it is an arduous task. A lot of things are not in our control. You may dig into various pieces of expert advice. Eventually, it boils down to your Lifestyle habits, Time management, and Mindset change.

     This Blog will target 11 Habits to achieve a better Work-life balance. They will not only help you multiply time but also help you get answers to the root causes behind your problems. Yes, changing times and circumstances are not in our hands. But what we can strive to work towards is our Habits and Time management skills.

     To start practicing these habits, understanding the Why and How’s behind your intention is essential. The deeper you know the reasons, the better inspiration you will have to start any Habit. So let us understand where Habits come from.

   

  Where do Habits come from? 

   Habits are actions and behaviors that we perform consciously or unconsciously in a repetitive pattern till it becomes an Automatic process. According to scientists, Habits emerge because our brain constantly looks for ways to save effort.

    New Research from MIT shows that habit formation is driven by neurons that represent the cost of habit and reward. Habits can be formed by external influence or internal influence. This occasional involvement becomes a pattern. And this pattern becomes a conscious or unconscious habit. Most of the habits are inspired by reward mechanisms. 

    For example, I had to stop drinking tea a few months back as it did not suit my acidic body type. So I switched to coffee to replace my habit. Gradually, I started enjoying coffee while reading books. Now this has turned into a habit that has become addictive. Whenever I would read an interesting book I would crave coffee. Here because I experienced the reward multiple times mentally and physically this has become one of my strong habits.

   The majority of our habits are picked unconsciously. So it isn’t easy to analyze what situation triggered the habit. Once you understand the root cause It’s easier to loosen the grip of what happens with time.

  Why Habits are important?

      Habits help us bring consistency to the tasks that don’t need much conscious effort regularly. For example, Combing your hair before going out goes without saying for many.

     In life, there are many tasks that we don’t like doing but we have to do them for our basic hygiene, survival, and Growth. Habits are the best means to convert that difficult task into an enjoyable and doable task. For example, if you hate reading you can start by reading your favorite book or topic. You can start by reading just 1 page a day.

     Yes, but Habits are like 2 sides of the same coin. Good and Bad. The more good habits you have better the quality of your life. The more bad habits you have, the poorer the quality of your life.

     Sometimes it also means any good habit that gets obsessive can turn into a bad habit. Exercising is a good habit, but if you work out extensively it will turn into a disaster. It is always a great idea to have a conscious understanding of all habits. Maintaining every habit in moderation is key to reaping the benefits.

             

 How to Form a Habit? 

   “ Good habits can make rational sense, but if they conflict with your identity, you will fail to put them into action. The real reason you fail to stick with habits is that your self-image gets in the way “

      -James Clear 

     Here I would like to give a real example from my own life. For years I had the belief that modern gyms are not required if you stay active at home or walk occasionally. I failed to understand the huge gap technology has created. The way early women worked in households with minimal conveniences. We are nowhere close to their activity in today’s comfortable world.

       I only realized later that my efforts were less as compared to how much I ate and how tired I still felt. My belief system blocked my motivation to start high-intensity exercises. Once this belief had been solved in my mind, I was more open to embracing going gym or doing strength training.

      So to form any Good Habit it is always a good idea to know how you feel about starting that particular Habit. Does it make sense to your current situation? The more evidence you have about your beliefs and thoughts, the more strongly you will start following the habits. This will also increase the chances of you maintaining the habit for a long.

 Are Habits Genetic? 

    Yes, our genetics have some influence on the habits that are inherent due to Genetic Predisposition. But we still have a choice to change our lifestyles if we are prone to certain things genetically. Yes, we won’t be able to change our genetics, but we can alter our genetic expressions through our experiences and environment.

   We can work towards our habits and lifestyle consciously with the right choice. The emerging field of Epigenetics reveals dynamic aspects of our genetics. Though we can’t change our inherent genes, our current modifications to our lifestyle certainly influence the behavior of our genes.

       

What is the difference between Habits and Routines? 

    Habits and Routines have one thing in common they both have regular repeated actions. But Habits are more unconsciously picked up with no intention or extra effort. Whereas routines are more intentionally planned or are the requirement for daily survival.

    Routines are the most effective way to access a disciplined life. Routines can be any ordinary chores like cleaning, cooking, self-care, hygiene, health-related, work-related, etc. However, if you mindfully add some rewarding & healthy habits to it, it can enrich your lifestyle twofold in a matter of few months. 

       

     Why are habits important for Success? 

    All successful people have 1 thing in common, they religiously follow the routines and habits that they have nurtured over a period that set them apart from the rest of the crowd. The strong roots of their success lie in the years of routines and habits they were nurturing.

      They are the product of the compound effect of each day they follow their routine and habits. Bad habits are easy to catch. As we find our comfort zone in it. Good habits need conscious consistency and willpower to stick to the routine. When you manage to do this one day you will see the result. As James Clear the Author of “Atomic Habits” says

    “Success is the product of daily habits -not once-in-a-lifetime transformations”– James Clear

    No person in this world can become overnight successful with just the hard work of a few days. It is the compound effect of years of discipline, habits, and routine that goes into it to create a master product out of you. We often underestimate the power of the tiny habits we have imbibed as they don’t give any prominent result instantly.

     One’s lifestyle and habits are one of the important factors to reach the ladder of success. They mold you effortlessly into the person that you want to become.

Why habits are important for Mental health? 

   Mental Health is something that can make or break you. If you nurture your mental well-being with good habits it will support you when times are tough. But bad habits will spiral down your mental health and attract mental health disorders.

    The majority of mental illnesses are genetic or run in the family. Yes, that is right, but your habits, lifestyle, and environments can become the triggers to aggravate it. Habits can have an immense impact on your mental wellbeing.

     When I had my first Depression I never imagined in my wildest dreams my mind would ever go into such a state. I was so ignorant of how to maintain mental health. Yes, my mental health issues had roots in my genetics. But my eating habits, negative thinking, constant stress, and my environment aggravated it all.

     All these things I had control over, but lacked awareness of how to take care of my mental well-being. I only realized the importance of exercising after going through depression. I started reading more Books only after my depression. My years of ignorance have changed into a good belief in prioritizing my mental health.

    The awareness I  gained through my experience of depression has changed the way I think. I changed from a negative thinker to a neutral and ready to accept life as it is without cribbing much.

    Our habits are the core to building a confident and resilient you. When your mental well-being is compromised. It affects all areas of life. It spirals down your Self-esteem and confidence. Here good habits act as the bridging gap between low confidence and back to normal Mental well-being.

      15 Habits to Achieve Better work-life balance 

   Today’s digital age with myriad choices has left us with no option but to run on the hamster wheel in our day-to-day lives. Yes, we are striving hard to meet the ends. But this is only leading us to chronic stress and long-term health issues in the long run.

    You don’t have to stop doing what you are doing, you just have to take a holistic view of all the areas of life. And change your approach from unconscious to conscious living with intention.

   At the core Work-life balance demands a combination of high energy, high focus, great habits, and planned priorities. With these priorities in mind along with some agility and adaptability to make peace with unbalanced days is the perfect way to create a sense of Harmony within oneself.

   Here are 11 powerful habits that will help you get a rock-solid grip of your day leaving you with a sense of harmony and fulfilledness.

  There will be days when you won’t be able to achieve work-life balance due to the changing nature of circumstances in our lives. Here, making peace with yourself with the top 3 to 4 priorities is essential.

   Forgive yourself and restart. Don’t be hard on yourself if you are not able to juggle your work-life balance the way you want.

 1. Physical activity 

   This is a non-negotiable habit all humans should imbibe to have a healthy, energetic, and long life. Remember Your Physical exercise and physical wellbeing will determine the no of tasks you can carry in a day.

  If you are low on energy as you age, no matter how hard you try you will always find yourself piling up with some or other work. The very first priority while maintaining a work-life balance should be your physical and mental well-being in the list.

 2. Meditation 

    A cluttered and confused mind will act as a distraction and kill your time or sometimes even ruin your entire day. All days are set of different challenges. Sometimes normal and sometimes emotionally tiring. Regular meditation will ensure you can go through all the challenges smoothly. Without wasting your time on overthinking or feeling depressed.

 3. Drinking enough water 

     I can’t stress enough, the relation of drinking water with our energy levels. I did face this problem for years. Now I consciously measure the amount of water I drink in a day. Just like our breath, water is a second important source that helps us survive even if we go a few days without food.

   Approximately 60 % of our adult body is Water. The only reason we are functioning well is because of breathing and drinking sufficient water. Lack of water will cause excessive lethargy and tiredness. And this will ruin your day plan if you don’t drink enough water.

        4. Eating healthy meals 

    Many of us live to eat tasty, scrumptious food. Because you desire luxury and comfort from it. But that’s not how you should look at food. Food is a primary source of fuel that you put in your body. It is the quality of your food that will determine your health in the coming years.

   The well-known alternative practice of Naturopathy works on the principle that food is medicine. Depending on what you eat you can prevent many lifestyle diseases caused due to fast food.

   A combination of daily exercise and a healthy meal will recharge your batteries to work throughout the day. When the engine is working efficiently it will help you reach your destination on time.

         5. Regular Self Reflection

    This is one of the best and most intelligent practices that ensure you address unconscious mistakes. All you have to do is just see your entire day spent from a 360 % angle. This will help you get day-to-day clarity on all aspects of your life.

     Like your time spent, your emotional well-being, time spent with family or with yourself, etc. This will give you a clear picture of how you can go about setting priorities.

 6. Planning

     I always used to overlook or procrastinate Planning lately. As I was too tired at the end of the day to think of the next day. But the days I planned 1 night before always gave me much better results. I remember thanking myself the next day to plan my meal.

    It is always a good habit to plan a day prior especially on the days when you have multiple important tasks to accomplish. Planning is like a visual habit plan. Simply execute your plan the next day and watch how swiftly you finish all boring tasks with a feeling of accomplishment.

  7. Sleeping early 

    The famous book of Robin Sharma “The 5 am Club” stresses the extraordinary habit of successful people that sets them apart from the rest of the tribe. For years even our ancestors have been following this routine which is aligned with nature. One of the reasons people were able to finish all their tasks in the olden days is the quiet morning me times.

   And the only way to start this habit is by practicing sleeping early daily. The early morning distraction-free hours are the best time to get your most important work done. You will find yourself sailing smoothly the rest of the day no matter how many extra tasks you have.

 8. Use Social Media in Moderation 

   No doubt, the addictive reels and content of Social Media keep us glued. But as time passes we don’t realize how addictive this habit has become. Be it checking emails or other social media.

   Try keeping your phone away for a good 5 to 6 hours. You will realize there is so much time left for the errands or tasks you thought were difficult earlier. This is the delusional impact stimulating entertainment creates on our time and mindset. Beware.

 9. Be a smart Delegator of task 

   Have you come across people who have the art of getting work done from others without making them feel upset or reluctant? This is one of the important traits one should imbibe to make the most out of the given resources in your surroundings.

   Making it a win-win for both parties. I was extremely bad at this art. But now in a learning process. And trust me, with time and practice it works wonders. You will think why didn’t you start communicating with people earlier, that would make them agree to do your work?

 10. Time measuring Journal

   Just like when you realize you have spent a lot of money in a particular month. You start reevaluating your expenses. Measuring time will surprise you with the amount of time that you allow to fly away with unnecessary tasks daily.

   Maintaining a time journal will help you reflect on the time spent on each different activity. This will help you decide where you can delegate the task and where you can cut down your time spent. It is one of the sensible habits you can imbibe if you are serious about your priorities in life.

 11. Set clear boundaries 

   Once you set clear boundaries be it for your professional or Personal life it helps you say no to certain things which you may avoid. Many people face the problem of saying no to others feeling obliged. But this additional yes will only add stress and imbalance to your personal life.

  Set clear boundaries with everyone you interact with in your day-to-day life. Give them subtle signals now and then. Over time they would understand your thoughts and feelings. This will set the right atmosphere for you to thrive without guilt the next time.

  Conclusion

      With this blog, the target is not to achieve work-life balance by creating a system. Because if you create a system chances are things will not go your way. This will burden you with a feeling of unfulfillment.

      We all come from different backgrounds and unique professional and personal problems. No matter what you do there will be days where things will get out of balance.

     Prioritizing your core needs daily along with expressing gratitude, for any little task you were able to achieve on that particular day is the key to perfect work-life balance. Integrating tiny and consistent habits will make remarkable changes to your daily routine.

    When you make peace with your mind by changing your mindset you will be thriving with better Work life balance every day. Do you have some special routine or secret that works for your work-life balance? Do share your smart solutions this might help people who resonate with your lifestyle.