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The experts behind Headspace app share 7 simple ways to achieve that elusive work-life balance

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Get some headspace.

Achieving career goals, juggling a hectic social life and being a doting parent: Maintaining a work-life balance is something we all strive for but many struggle to actually achieve.

Sarah Romotsky, Director of Healthcare at Headspace, believes incorporating mindfulness, along with a host of other lifestyle changes, could have a huge impact on your overall wellbeing and is the answer to helping sustain an ongoing balance between work and social life.

To mark Mental Health Awareness Week, she shared 7 simple ways you can achieve that elusive work-life balance and bring your mental health into check.

Tip 1: Know your strengths

Many hands make light work and it is easier to get through the day with the help of those around you. Learn to identify what your strengths are and where you might need others to help guide you. For those who own their own business, if you’re not a whiz at accounting or graphic design, consider outsourcing them instead of wasting valuable time.

Tip 2: Prioritise your time and have set work hours

To avoid the feeling of being overwhelmed which can come from having too many tasks on your to-do list, learn to prioritise the actions you are given. Being able to distinguish what is urgent and important vs important but not as urgent is key to managing your tasks. Use this to establish clear boundaries so that you can get out of the office, balance your time and focus on yourself.

Tip 3: Switch off

Easier said than done, but try to make it a habit to switch off your emails after a certain time of day. This will help ensure that you don’t succumb to responding to emails whilst heading home or at the dinner table. Distinguish clear boundaries so that you can give yourself adequate time to enjoy your surroundings and company.

Tip 4: Shake it out by making exercise a must-do

Peel yourself away from your desk for some exercise. Even if it’s a brisk walk each day or making a conscious effort to not cancel the gym, evening run or yoga class in order to obsessively clean the Narnia that is your inbox, know when to draw the line so that you can get away at the end of the day to unwind.

Tip 5: Manage your mind and take a break

Mind health is just as important as physical health. We need to acknowledge our self-worth and invest time in our mental and physical wellbeing. Meditation is a useful tool in helping connect with the world around us, dealing with stress and taking a moment to be centered.

Tip 6: Take time to make time

There are plenty of tools you can use to track everything from the frequency to the duration of meetings so that you are able to understand how long a task takes. You can also use this to ensure you are splitting your time equally between work and socialising, the tool serving as a visual so that you can ensure you keep to a more balanced way of living.

Tip 7: Follow your passions

Identify hobbies and interests that make you smile, happy or ignite feelings of passion. Not only will this be a rewarding experience by adding to your skill portfolio, but it will energise and refresh the mind, enabling you to nurture your creative thinking which is integral to a wide range of industries.

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