When you feel as though your energy levels are drained in the workplace,
it may be a good idea to check in on your work-life balance. While achieving an
optimum work-life balance may seem like a wishful dream in wonderland – you are
not alone! Here are three steps you can follow that will help you get closer to
that seemingly elusive dream-like state of equilibrium in a way that doesn't have to leave your work output in deficit.
Firstly, RECOGNISE the symptoms
If you feel as though you are:
- Experiencing a lack of sleep because you are busy thinking about the tasks you have to complete at work the next day.
- Experiencing a loss of energy in the workplace and an apathy towards your work
- Overwhelmed by your tasks at work when you begin the day or return from your lunch break
- Procrastinating more than you should be (keeping in mind that often any procrastination is too much when it comes to the workplace…)
It may be an indicator that you need to reassess your work-life balance.
Secondly, REASSESS your goals
When you find that your work-life balance is out of line, it is
important to ask yourself why this is the case. This will help you re-discover
what is important to you and will help you re-gain sight of the bigger picture.
Placing your work into perspective can often help if you feel overwhelmed.
Additionally, you may re-discover the reason you have been pushing yourself so
hard in the first place. This can often serve as a great source of hidden
motivation that could push you over the finish line. When re-assessing your
goals, it is important to consider where you are now; where you would like to
be, and what you need to do to get there. It might feel a bit odd at first, but
it can pay off to list these details down in a document or spreadsheet. It is
always easy to let some demotivating tasks get neglected - until they become a
pattern with no solution. So, keep your eye on the prize of your career and
personal goals.
Finally, TAKE ACTION!
- Make necessary changes to your schedule and reprioritise tasks that need to be done in terms of what you need for yourself. Assess what extra tasks are created as a result of mismanaged resources.
- If you suspect that there is a misallocation of resources - begin a discussion with your manager that you believe the misallocation of resources is causing distress and has lowered productivity (just be sure to have a sound solution!)
- Reflect on your personal well-being and think strategically about how this affects your productivity.
- Improve the quality of your “down-time” while you are away from work will help manage your productivity while you are in the workplace. It is important to take time out for yourself … even if that means going for a walk around the block without your phone during your lunch break.
- Always be sure to look back at your original goals, and compare it to how your workplace responsibilities have changed and how that affects your personal life.
If you are still finding it difficult to achieve motivation despite work
changes, balance alterations and discussions with management, you could have a
career mismatch. Trudging through a field that never suited your personality in
the first place will almost always end in low productivity, low satisfaction,
burnout and worse. One way to be sure that you’re in the right field or
studying the right course is to take a psychologically backed careers test. This weighs
your values and attributes to define what career course best suits your
abilities and fundamentally, who you are.
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